The Fräulein and The Basterd
by Carrot Top
Summary: - After three long years...IT. IS. DONE.- She is German. He is a Jew. But not just any Jew; The Bear Jew. And Klara Bathurst didn't know whether to curse or bless the day she crossed paths with the one and only Donny Donowitz. Rated T, just in case!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this movie was pretty much an incredible work of art. And the way my brain works is a story will pop into it and unless I write it down and get it out there, it drives me absolutely insane. I can't think of anything else but the story, haha. **

**To be honest, I'm not one hundred percent sure where this story is going just yet, but we'll see how it unfolds. The story will be loosely following the events of the movie, though it definitely won't be word for word. We all know how the movie went, so you don't another version of it right here. Also, just a warning, I may not have my facts 100% down pat, but I'm certainly trying very hard. So if it's not quite right, my bad!**

**I do _not _own anything having to do with Inglourious Basterds, I'm simply unleashing the inner workings of my mind on you lovely readers. **

**So enjoy!**

Klara Bathurst sighed wearily and rubbed the back of her hand tiredly across her forehead. She was cleaning up all of the dishes, so her wet hand left a trail of cool water on her forehead but she did nothing to wipe it away. The coolness was a welcome respite to her hot and tired body. She took a second to move her neck around and release some of the tension residing there before setting to finishing her task.

It wasn't easy taking care of a family, especially all by herself. She remembered all the times that her mother, God rest her soul, had warned her what it would be like when she had people that depended on her for survival and found herself wishing she'd taken her advice a little closer to heart. Then perhaps she would have been better prepared for the duties she'd taken on for the past year. She couldn't complain though, the sense of accomplishment and pride she felt whenever she helped another Jewish family to escape the horrors being inflicted on them always made the exhaustion worth it.

She just hated the circumstances surrounding her world – she hated having to hide the families behind a bookshelf in a room no one else knew about, she hated the monsters that continued to murder innocent people, she hated everything about this wretched war.

Klara had been in a very tough spot for a very long time. Her parents had died in a tragic car accident three years earlier, only a week after her twenty-first birthday. Not long after their death, her one and only sibling and brother, Kurt, had joined the SS, claiming that their death had made him realize his purpose in life. Just how their death showed him he was supposed to be torturing and killing Jews was beyond her, but she had kept her mouth tightly shut for two years and helplessly watched as he climbed his way through the ranks until he somehow managed to be paired as the right hand man of the one and only Standartenführer Hans Landa. It wasn't until her brother had insisted on getting _her_ involved with the Nazi organization that she decided to get out of Germany and leave behind everything she'd known.

Klara wanted no part of what Kurt was doing. It horrified her to see what had been happening to all the Jewish inhabitants yet she could _never_ voice her disgust of the Nazis, especially not when she found herself associated with them just because of relation to Kurt. She had been forced to find a reason worth leaving Germany before Kurt became frustrated with her lack of enthusiasm and called in Landa for reinforcements, which she knew he would have. They were two peas in a pod, her brother and Landa. It would have only been a matter of time before they tried to suck her into their world.

Kurt hadn't had much objection to her reason for moving to Paris; their aging grandparents were living just outside the city and Klara had claimed that they had contacted her with need for assistance around their house. The excuse worked because Kurt had shut himself off from everyone in the family except for her. He would never know the difference.

So she'd moved to Paris a year ago and had only seen her brother a handful of times since (which was something she'd grown to be perfectly fine with). Even though France was still occupied by Nazis, the fact that there were no longer any SS soldiers or officers parading around her house on a regular basis was more then a fair trade for the quaint home she'd acquired on the outskirts of Paris. She had known there would be no escaping the Nazis completely, but at least she was out of Germany.

The sound of footsteps on her porch caught her attention, and she looked up sharply as they stopped outside her door. A moment later, three knocks sounded on the solid wood.

Klara glanced quickly around the house before smoothing out her skirt and cautiously heading for the door. When she opened it slowly, she immediately relaxed. "Emmanuelle, I did not know that you were coming by this evening." Klara said in her broken French. The blonde smiling back at her shrugged as Klara moved to the side to let her in.

"I am restless today." The blonde said as she walked in, running her fingers through her long blonde hair to smooth it out. "I keep seeing them." She said with a sigh, crossing her arms and staring blankly at the coffee table in front of her as Klara locked the door. "Keep hearing the guns…the conversation I wish I had understood at the time so that I could have gotten my family out." She muttered angrily in French. "I want them to pay, all of them."

Klara frowned and moved forward. "Shoshanna." She said simply, using the woman's real name. This caused her to look up at her sharply. "The time will come when the Nazis get exactly what is coming to them. And when that day comes, you will dance on their graves." Klara reminded her.

She'd known Emmanuelle for ten months, having met her when she began attending showings in the woman's cinema. But she had known _Shoshanna_, the real identity of her friend, for only a mere three months. It had been purely accidental, the way that _both _of their secrets had come to light. Shoshanna had simply been helping her move in a few pieces of furniture when an unexpected inhabitant, a very young Jewish girl, had come walking out of Klara's kitchen. Klara remembered freezing and nearly dropping the side of the table she was holding up while Shoshanna had stared at the girl in shock.

It had been an accident on the child's part but it was then that Shoshanna had learned of what Klara was secretly doing; helping Jews escape and giving them shelter for as long as they needed it on their journey. It wasn't until Klara was begging her not to say anything that she'd learned of Shoshanna's true identity.

Now, Shoshanna glanced towards the kitchen and smirked. "That is a lot of dishes for one woman." She quipped quickly in French, effectively changing the subject before eyeing the bookshelf. "How many this time?"

"A family of five." Klara said tiredly. "It has not been easy – it is a lot of work. But they leave tonight." She revealed. "Let us hope the streets tonight are not as crowded with German soldiers as they have been the past few weeks."

"Where do you take them?" Shoshanna asked her, catching her by surprise. It was the first time her friend had pried any further into Klara's arrangement and it surprised her.

"Out by the woods." She answered vaguely. "I have a contact that comes with a truck and quickly gets them in route to the shore." Klara explained before glancing at the watch on her wrist. "In fact, I need to get moving. There are guards constantly on the streets at night. I should start trying to get them out of the city within the hour." She explained. Then she smiled and rested her hands on Shoshanna's shoulders. "Time. Just give it time, friend. You will have your revenge."

Shoshanna nodded only once and Klara returned the nod before walking past her to start packing food for the Jewish family in her home. "Do you need help tonight, Klara?" Shoshanna asked quietly, switching over to English for a moment. Klara paused and looked at her in surprise. "Do you need a ride or need another guide for them?"

"I would not dare to put you in that kind of danger." Klara responded quickly, her German accent ringing clearly now that she'd switched to English. "You have been through enough already."

"You have been a good friend." Shoshanna said quietly. "One of the few friends I have ever had. And you are helping to give my people a better future. Just say the word and I will help."

Klara walked over to Shoshanna and, with a grateful smile, pulled her into a hug. "Thank you…but I will see you another day. Sleep well tonight, friend."

* * *

Klara peeked around the corner of the alley way, holding a hand up to the five people trailing behind her as she surveyed the surroundings. It was dark now, only the sparse streetlights of her neighborhood offering light to them as they wove through the streets of Paris. She looked around quickly, then ushered the family to follow her upon seeing that the street was empty. There was always a sense of adrenaline and caution when Klara was leading refugees through the streets but there was a small comfort in knowing they blended in with the dark sidewalks; everyone in the company had dressed in dark pants and jackets to camouflage themselves. Klara had even fixed a black hat over her blonde hair to blend in further.

They were nearly there. Once they were by the highway they could cut through the woods and get to the clearing. It was only another fifteen minutes away.

"It is not far now." She whispered to them in German, trying to keep her voice low should anyone be loitering around and become suspicious of the foreign language. "There will be a man in a truck named Dieter. He will take you to the shore and get you to a boat. You will be out of France by the morning."

"Thank you." The mother said, reaching forward to clasp her hand. "Thank you for everything you have done. It is people like you that give us hope for a brighter day for Germany."

Klara nodded, returning the squeeze the woman had given her hand, and then motioned for her to quiet down again as they continued on. The mother, along with her husband and their three children, had been on the run for years after fleeing Poland. It was a miracle they had survived in hiding for as long as they had and Klara was proud to have been apart of their journey.

After only a few more minutes of walking, they cut down an alleyway and reached the highway. "Through these trees. It will only be another ten minute hike."

No one spoke, but the air around the group remained tense. Klara led the way with the mother directly behind her, both of their eyes sharp and darting around constantly as they began to trek through the trees as quietly as they could. The children made up the middle of the group, all huddled together and seeking warmth from each other in the wake of the crisp night air, while the father brought up the rear of the company. He held in his hands a large log to use as a weapon should the need arise.

After what probably seemed like ages to the Jewish family behind her, Klara held up her hand to stop them. She reached into the deep pocket on her right hip and produced a small flashlight, holding it up eyelevel and then clicking it on and off three times. Only a moment later, a light some thirty feet away clicked on for a long moment before going off.

"We are clear. Follow me." Klara whispered before leading them straight ahead into the darkness. Within moments, the outlines of a truck became visible to the company and the mother behind her made a sound of relief as the headlights clicked on and a tall, broad shouldered man jumped out of the driver's side door.

"Klara, always a pleasure to see you make it in one piece." Dieter joked lightheartedly, his German words echoing off the trees around them. "Five this time? Very brave."

"I cannot turn away Jews just because they come in larger numbers." Klara said before she and Dieter shared a hug. "Always a relief when I find you waiting for us." She added.

They'd met through friends just after she moved to Paris. He too had been born and raised in Germany but had moved away two years ago with his two younger sisters after their father had become so wrapped up in the violence surrounding his military career that their family had feared for their lives. Dieter, like her, also wanted nothing to do with the Nazis or the psychopath Hitler and had been helping Jews escape Europe long before he'd met her.

When they both parted from the hug, Klara turned back to the family she'd been taking care of. "Dieter will get you to the shore. I assure you that you are in good hands with him." She said with a smile and nod. "My thoughts and prayers will be with you all."

Without much warning, the mother and her three young sons were all hugging her while the father nodded at her and walked over to shake hands with Dieter. Klara felt emotion well up inside of her, much like she always did when it came time to depart with those she'd helped to escape, and she hugged them all each before stepping off to the side and watching them pile into the back of the truck.

"It will be a bumpy ride." Dieter warned to the family as he got back in the drivers seat. "We are taking the back roads to the shore." Then he closed his door and flashed a smile at Klara. "Until next time, my friend."

"Until next time." She responded. Klara flinched as the truck roared to life but knew that no one was around to hear it but them. Dieter waved to her as her made a circle in the small clearing they were in and headed down the dirt road he'd taken to get to them. She lifted her hand and waved goodbye, feeling a sense of accomplishment as the truck's lights disappeared from her view after a few minutes.

Another family was safe. And she had been just a small pebble in the road of that family's brighter future. Where her brother was taking lives and destroying futures, Klara was giving them back. And even though no one would ever know about it, Klara knew she had found her calling.

She turned on her heel to head back to town. There were very few moments these days when she was truly happy; usually a smile could only be found on her face when with Shoshanna or when she was helping a family. Many others would be afraid of the journey back to the city in these dangerous times, especially with so many soldiers wandering the streets at night, but Klara was too happy to care and embraced the silence and darkness of her surroundings as she made her way through the trees.

She tried to imagine where the family might go from here – England? America? Canada? They had so many options. She could imagine the three young boys that had just piled into the back of the truck and how they now had the opportunity to grow up, experience a life where the ones they loved weren't murdered, weren't tortured, and where they didn't have to hide. Klara imagined they would play sports, go to college, even marry and have children for their parents to dote on and spoil.

A large and genuine smile stretched across her face. Yes, leaving her home country and starting over in France had been risky but it was the best decision she'd ever made, even if she would be killed if the wrong person found out what she was doing. Klara knew that if given the opportunity, she would have made the same decision over and over, no matter what. Once she broke through the trees she paused to breathe in the crisp air, closing her eyes for a moment. She didn't know when the next escapees would be pointed in her direction, but as always, she would wait patiently until they arrived and until she could continue on with her mission.

**A/N: Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm happy with the response this story has gotten. I was pretty terrified to post it, but I'm always like that with a new story. I'm glad everyone seemed to like it. So yay! **

**Again, I'm just kind of going with the flow with this story. And if you see characters acting slightly OOC, there is a reason for it. I always have a grand master plan. Don't worry. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Don't sue me. **

**Enjoy!**

Klara slept very late the next morning. It had been nearly a month since she'd been alone in her house so she took full advantage of _not _having to care for anyone by sleeping late and indulging herself some much needed rest. She sighed when she finally rolled over and glanced out the window just to see that it was overcast and looked rather chilly._ Another beautiful spring day in France_, she thought sarcastically to herself.

Once she'd bathed and dressed, making sure her hair and makeup looked presentable, she went down into the room behind her bookshelf to check on the clothes and supplies that she kept on hand for the families she housed. Not so surprisingly, the normally well stocked food supply was running low thanks to the large family she'd housed for the past three weeks. Klara knew then she'd have to make another trip to the market today.

Just as she suspected, she had to pull her coat tighter around herself when she walked out of her front door and paused to shake her limbs for a moment before turning around to lock the door. She smiled at her neighbors, waving politely as she passed them on the streets, but then turned her gaze straight ahead as she walked and tried not to call too much attention to herself. Kurt was well known amongst many Germans and everyone who knew of him knew that she was his sister – it wasn't uncommon for the SS soldiers inhabiting France to stop her on the street or pester her in restaurants with questions about her brother. These days, avoiding any unnecessary attention was one of Klara's top priorities.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle!" An older lady greeted warmly when Klara walked into a small shop, rubbing her arms to get the chill out of them.

"Bonjour!" She responded, smiling at the lady and making her way directly to the back of the shop. Klara and the woman working that desk had seen her a handful of times but hadn't questioned her too much on her reason for always coming in to buy coats, pants, and shirts. She was just thankful that the pace at which Jewish escapees came to her house was spaced out enough to where she could shop like this and avoid rousing suspicion with the business owners.

The bell dinged as another customer came in but Klara paid them no mind, grabbing pants, shirts, and jackets of all sizes before stopping to grab a few pairs of socks. The lady behind the counter wasn't paying much attention to her, obviously preoccupied with whoever had walked in if the blush on her cheeks was anything to judge by. Klara only spared the other guest a glance before finally setting her purchased down on the counter. The lady clucked her tongue in disappointment then finally turned her attention back to Klara with a long sigh.

"Too young…" She idly commented in French before smiling at Klara. "You sure do purchase a lot of clothing. Are you planning a trip…or a family perhaps?" She chuckled, eyeing her hands for any sign of a ring. Klara laughed and shook her head.

"No, no. I help out with my grandparents and do their shopping – the children's clothing is for charity." Klara said, waving a hand seemingly carelessly. "Lucky I have an allowance from my brother or none of this would be possible!" She added with a wink.

Her excuse seemed not only to have worked, but also to have warmed the woman's heart. "Oh, how sweet of you!" The lady gushed before finishing ringing up her things.

"It is the least I can do to help family and give back to the community." Klara said as she looked through her clutch, fishing out the correct amount of money to cover her purchase. She was happy for the distraction – Klara hated it when people _did _ask her about her purchases. It always made her nervous.

"And what does you brother do?" The woman asked conversationally.

"He is in the SS." Klara answered. The lady's eyes widened and she nodded, quickly counting out the change to give back to Klara and suddenly looking a bit tense. Klara only frowned slightly, as the reaction she'd received was a fairly common one. She did not, however, realize that the other occupant of the store had come up behind her and had heard their conversation.

"I _thought_ you looked familiar." A deep male voice said in unmistakable German.

Klara turned around quickly to look at the stranger while the woman working the register looked slightly confused at the foreign language she obviously didn't understand. She knew she had never seen this man before, but the uniform he was wearing gave her no doubts as to how he knew who she was – he was clearly in the SS. She offered a small smile as he clicked his heels together quickly and offered a slight bow, reaching for her hand to lay a quick kiss on top before straightening up to his full height again. Klara didn't miss the fact that he didn't release her hand.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name Unterscharführer Emmerich Haugg. And you must be the one and only Klara Bathurst, yes? Sister of Kurt Bathurst?"

All of this was said with a confident smirk on his young face. Klara supposed that if he wasn't in the SS she would have found him attractive, but knowing what he'd possibly been doing throughout his military career quickly overshadowed his charms. "Yes, I am. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Unterscharführer Haugg." She said politely, gently tugging her hand out of his grasp. He looked a bit embarrassed for a moment but then shook his head as if to clear his thoughts.

"I have heard from my other comrades that the great Kurt Bathurst's sister had been living in France for the past year. I have also heard stories of your beauty, all of which do you no justice. It truly is an honor to finally be making your acquaintance, Fraulein Bathurst." He rambled with a grin. Klara nodded slowly, resisting the urge to laugh, and again Emmerich shook his head. "Forgive me." Then he saw her purchase waiting in three large bags and went to grab them quickly. "Allow me to assist you."

"No, no, do not trouble yourself." Klara said with a shake of her head, grabbing one of the bags herself but watching a bit helplessly as he grabbed the remaining two.

"Nonsense. It is never a trouble to help out a beautiful woman." He said with a smile before quickly switching over to French in order to thank the lady for all of her help. Then he somehow managed to shift the bags in his arms around and then open the door for Klara. "And it is a good idea for a beautiful woman to have an escort with them in these dangerous times."

Klara watched him uncertainly for a moment before finally giving in and walking through the door with him hot on her heels. She had planned to take the clothes she'd just bought right back to her house before popping over to both her grandparents' house and Shoshanna's theater, but now that Emmerich was walking with her and talking her ear off, the last thing she wanted was for him to know where any of her family or friends lived. Should she ever be caught, she didn't want them being pestered. So instead, she turned right and headed towards the market to restock her food.

"Your brother is really a courageous soldier, Miss Bathurst." Emmerich complimented. This was usually how most of her meetings with SS soldiers went, so Klara plastered on the same fake smile she reserved for men like Emmerich and nodded her agreement. "The way he stormed into that house and captured all those Jews last week…even the Standartenführer was impressed and took him for drinks later that night."

"And which house was this?" Klara asked, even though she was cringing inside. She hated hearing about the things her brother did. It always made her sick to her stomach.

"A house in Beauvais." Klara looked up a bit sharply at this. "Found at least six Jews hiding out in the barn underneath piles and piles of hay." Emmerich said, looking very smug and even amused as he retold the story.

"Beauvais? I had not realized that he was so close." Klara said, feeling very alarmed to hear that Kurt wasn't as far away as she had thought. The last that she had heard, he and Landa had gone back to Germany for a short period of time and she had thought they were there still. The fact that he was so close to the area, which could then possibly lead to a surprise visit, left an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Do you not speak with your brother, Miss Bathurst?" Emmerich inquired questioningly.

"Not as often as I would like." Klara lied with a smile, trying to wipe the worried look off of her face. "He is always so busy with the Standartenführer. I am lucky if I see him at all when he is in France." She explained as they neared the market.

"Ah, well, the rumor is that he will have a few days of leave for his efforts in Beauvais and is Paris bound soon, so you should see him shortly enough." Emmerich informed her reassuringly. Again worry zinged along her nerves, but she pushed them down and tried to offer Emmerich an excited smile.

"Well, that sounds wonderful." Klara said. "We are nearing my stop though and then I have more _personal_ things to attend to…" She hinted. Emmerich nodded and handed over her bags as they walked.

"If you do not think it too bold, I would greatly enjoy taking you out for dinner sometime…perhaps tonight?" Emmerich asked as they stopped outside a door. Klara paused with her back to him, making a face, before forcing on a smile and turning around to face him.

"Maybe. Allow me to think on it." She said. Emmerich nodded, looking hopeful, and then clicked his heels together again before bowing slightly.

"It has been an absolute pleasure meeting you, Miss Bathurst." He said, grabbing her hand to kiss it once more. "I will count the minutes until I may look upon you again."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, too, Unterscharführer Haugg." Klara responded politely.

"Please, call me Emmerich."

"Very well. Goodbye then, Emmerich. Perhaps we shall see each other again soon." She said before turning and walking into the shop. Emmerich stood there for a moment or two (she could see him through the door) before smiling to himself and walking off with a bit more bounce in his step.

Klara huffed and rolled her eyes – she was not interested in the slightest. She knew that he would come to bother her again, knew he probably thought he'd made a great impression on her and that she would fall so deeply for his charms that he could someday be the brother-in-law to the one and only Kurt Bathurst. It was how it always was. Most men were only interested in her last name and who that would link them to.

Klara would just have to be careful. With the entrance of Emmerich and his sudden interest in her, plus the knowledge that Kurt was en route to Paris, she'd have to be much more careful. Klara didn't know if Landa would be joining him since Kurt would be on leave, but those two were practically joined at the hip and she could only assume that Landa wouldn't be far away. She'd have to let her contacts know about the new developments. And quick.

* * *

After her supplies were restocked she paid a quick visit to her grandparents and then stopped by the theater to see Shoshanna, where she quickly brought up to speed on the new updates and informed her of both Emmerich and of Kurt's upcoming visit. Shoshanna had seemed slightly worried at first, having already known what Kurt did for a profession, but when Klara warned that Landa might also be coming along she looked as though she'd seen a ghost. Shoshanna had then cut their meeting short, telling Klara they would talk about everything later before walking off without another word.

Klara felt bad for her friend, but at least she had warning. Shoshanna was well aware of whom Landa was and that he was the man who had condemned her family to their death, so Klara understood exactly why she would be upset to learn of his possible visit. If their roles had been reversed, Klara would have been beside herself. She knew Shoshanna well though and knew that if she ever ran into Landa that she would be able to keep herself collected enough - hiding her true emotions from Nazis was something like second nature to Shoshanna by now.

As soon as it was nightfall, Klara donned her black pants and shrugged on her thick black jacket. She walked over to her desk to scribble down a quick message, using code words rather then the proper ones, before shoving it into her pocket and fitting a black hat over her low bun to cover her hair. As son as she stepped out of her house she ooked both ways, checking to make sure that nobody was being nosey. She had a strange feeling about that night; it felt…off, like something or someone was just waiting to present themselves to her.

So Klara kept her head down as she walked through the streets, not bothering too much for secrecy since she was alone. There wasn't anyone out anyway, just like there hadn't been the previous evening. Instead of taking a left down at the end of the street to head to the highway, she took a right and headed towards an old square that was only ever active during the nighttime. Usually the area was preoccupied with questionable people who had equally questionable morals and tonight was no different – she could already see prostitutes loitering on the corners and their patrons beginning to appear.

"Hello, pretty lady. Care for some company tonight?" A man slurred in French when she passed him. He stunk of whiskey and she made a face, not even bothering to respond. She was positive she heard him make a comment about her being a "snooty German bitch", though it still baffled her to this day how easily people could peg her heritage.

She went past the square slowly so as not to draw attention to herself then took a right down a small alleyway before walking up to an old door that had rotting wood and a rusty handle. Again, Klara looked around to make sure she was in the clear before opening the door and walking in, shutting it quickly and quietly behind her.

The place had once been a widely popular bar. The owner, however, had begun housing escaped Jews in his basement three years ago and had done so for over a year and a half. Once that had been found out by the public, the bar had been shut down and the owner had been "made an example of". No one had touched the area since.

Remy, the French contact who pointed Jews in her direction once they reached France, had been there already. She could tell because the cash register had a flag propped up on top of it, which was the signal that there was a message waiting for her. Normally it would have been a few more days before there would be a note for her so she was just the slightest bit surprised that he was already contacting her. She hurried over and popped the register open, pulling the note out quickly.

_The time has been long, but I will not be week. A bath, three meals, and one long train ride is all that separates us…_

Klara nodded to herself in understanding. The spelling mistake let her know the next group would be ready for her in a week and judging by the code words, there would be a mother, three children, and an aunt in the group. Another large group but Klara wouldn't complain – the more people she helped, the better. She took out her own note and stuck it under the draw in the register before closing it and removing the flag. She then put the bell on top of the register in its place.

Klara worried her bottom lip as she thought about the next family, feeling bit nervous about this particular mission. Kurt had begun to be more and more like Landa the last few times she'd seen him and she knew very well that Landa was an expert in finding hiding Jews. She had never given Kurt any reason what-so-over to believe that she would be helping Jews hide, but she couldn't be too comfortable around him either. She would have to warn the next group of his possible visit, something she was sure would make them very uncomfortable.

She made her way back to her house, taking her time as she wound through the streets, and decided to leave a note for Dieter the next night informing him of the developements. Klara couldn't gone then to get it over with but the funny that had been incessantly nagging at her since the moment she walked out of her house had yet to go away, so she wanted nothing more then to get to her house and stay there. Besides, Dieter wouldn't be back from the shore for at least another day and a half, so she had plenty of time to get the message to him.

It wasn't until Klara was at the bottom of her steps that she paused and frowned. There, sitting on her doorstep, was a very large and obnoxious looking bouquet of overly flowers. She leaned over and picked them up, finding a small note with fancy looking German scrawl. She frowned deeper when she realized that it was from Emmerich and that he had somehow found out where she lived, which could only complicate things even more.

In the next moment a noise from the alleyway caught her attention and she looked to her right curiously. Since she'd come from the main road her journey hadn't taken her past the alleyway on the side of her house. But as she listened to the scuffling sounds echoing off the dark walls, there was no doubt in her mind that someone was lurking there; or multiple people, if the echoing sound of multiple footsteps was anything to go off of.

To her complete and utter shock, just as she was leaning over her banister to peer down the alley a lone figure came running out of the dark. Klara let out a quick shriek of surprise before jumping back away from the banister and clamping a hand over her heart. The person stopped, breathing very heavily and looking around in alarm and she quickly took in his appearance – he was very muscular, wearing dirty clothes that had some kind of dark liquid splattered on them, and in his right hand was a bloodied baseball bat.

It only took a millisecond to realize what the dark substance decorating his clothes was and only a millisecond longer to realize who _he _was. She'd heard of him and his beloved bat plenty of times, as well as the troop he was in, and though the stories had only just started circulating a few weeks ago they had been making the rounds like wildfire. There was no doubt who was standing in front of her – the Basterd that German's referred to as The Bear Jew.

He started to leave, flashing her a disinterested look as he went past her porch. Klara couldn't be sure what sent her into the motion but before she realized what she was doing she had run up to the banister to address him. "Wait just a minute." She said in German, not thinking about who she was talking to right then.

He hesitated for a half a second. "I don't speak filth, Kraut." He spat at her hurriedly with a blatantly obvious American accent.

The name insulted her to the core and she had half a mind to offend him in return for the remark but just as she opened her mouth to speak more footsteps could be heard in the alley. They both froze and turned to look in the direction of the sound before she waved her hand at him hurriedly. "Come with me." She hissed in English, walking back to her house as she grabbed her key out of her pocket and hurriedly unlocked her door.

"Yeah fuckin' right." He hissed right back.

"Do you want to keep running and get caught or hide for a moment so you can make a quick getaway?" She asked him irritably, turning to look at him with raised eyebrows once her door was open..

The footsteps in the alley were getting louder and obviously drawing closer and they both knew it would only be moments before whoever was chasing this man would come out and see him standing right there. He hesitated for a second, looking back and forth between her and the alleyway, before clearing the porch steps in three long strides and walking right up to her. She resisted the urge to back away as he invaded her personal space, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"And why should I trust you?" He asked lowly.

He was so close that she could see the way his hair curled on his forehead, sweaty from running she assumed. His eyelashes were long and thick and framed two attractive brown eyes. There was a few days worth of stubble on his jaw, neck, and chin and it was then that she noticed the slight spattering of blood on his tanned skin. It was also easy to see from his close proximity how untrusting he was of her and the air around them immediately grew thick with tension and uncertainty.

"What choice do you have?" She finally asked.

He was much bigger then her and if he decided to end her life for being German, she knew she wouldn't stand a chance. But after a quick moment of thinking he finally came to a decision and brushed past her, walking into her house with an unreadable expression on his face. When she started to close the door again he opened his mouth to say something but she abruptly cut him off by shutting the door firmly in his face. Klara then quickly grabbed the bouquet of flowers, holding them so it would hide her face, and pretended to start unlocking her door just as three German soldiers came running out of the alleyway.

Klara put on a fake mask of surprise, moving the flowers so that she could see, and pressed her free hand to her chest. The soldiers immediately looked to her and moved in her direction. "Officers, what is wrong?" She asked in German, catching them by surprise.

"There was a renegade, one of Aldo the Apache's." One of the officers said between hard pants for air. They must have been running for a long time judging by how winded both they and the Jewish man currently standing on the other side of her door were. "Have you seen him?"

"Aldo the Apache?" She asked in surprise, feigning stupidity. _Keep yourself together, Bathurst_, she reminded herself in her head. "No. I surely would have alerted someone."

"No, not him." One of the other soldiers spoke up impatiently. "One of his troops – The Bear Jew." He went on to clarify.

Klara shook her head quickly. "The Bear Jew? No. I thought I heard someone running down that way…" She said as she shifted her bouquet and pointed down the street going away from her house. "…but these flowers are so large that I could not see around them. It was very sweet of Emmerich to give me so many flowers. I do not know how I shall keep them surviving though. They are a lot of – " Klara began to ramble.

Just as she hoped, the soldiers became annoyed with her and called out hasty parting words before taking off down the street, using their flashlights to look down every alleyway as they passed. Once they were out of sight she turned back to her door, feeling triumphant for having fooled them for only a moment before she remembered who was in her home. She took a steadying breath and placed a hand on the knob, silently praying she wasn't about to get her head bashed in. Klara didn't know what would be waiting for her on the other side of her door, but she finally jutted her chin up and opened the door bravely, ready to face the one and only Bear Jew.

**A/N: You know what to do!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hmmm…lots of views, but not a lot of reviews. Interesting. Encouragement is always nice, cough. Anyways, this chapter begins the cursing and name calling, just as a warning. I'm not trying to offend anybody! **

**I don't anything, yada, yada. You know the deal. **

**Enjoy!**

He was standing right on the other side of the door, so close in fact that he had to take a step back to avoid getting hit when Klara pushed the door open again. He stood with his arms crossed and with his bat still clutched tightly in his right hand. The glare he had trained on her was unwavering mask of suspicion and distrust. There was blood splattered on his clothes, face, and bat and his slightly gruesome appearance made him look incredibly intimidating, not to mention frightening.

She didn't dare to say even a word, knowing she'd need to choose them carefully around this particular man, and they stared at each other for a long, silent moment, both clearly sizing up the other. He let his eyes roam freely over her form, making blood rush into her under cheeks under his scrutinizing gaze, but the untrusting expression never faded from his features. When he met her eyes again she jutted her chin up in silent challenge, to which his response was to quirk a skeptical eyebrow at her.

Suddenly, despite the aura of hostility surrounding him, she found it very hard to overlook just how handsome the man before her was.

Klara had met plenty of men and plenty of suitors in her life but _this _one seemed…different. Maybe it was because she knew he was American, maybe it was the attitude exuding off of him right then, or maybe it was because his reason for being in France was one that she wholly supported – whatever it was, her interest was piqued. She took another moment to regard him, trying valiantly not to think too long on his attractiveness, and then finally brushed past him.

"They will be gone in a matter of minutes." Klara said in her thickly accented English. "You should be safe to leave then but you will have to be stealthy. No doubt you have alerted every soldier within a ten mile radius with your little fiasco."

He didn't say anything in response nor did he move from his spot for a long moment, but when he did he began to slowly walk around her living room, clearly inspecting the area. It was strange having him in her home and Klara eyed his back uncertainly as he paced the living room. Sure, she was used to Jews coming and going, but having _just _him made it feel much different, almost…intimate in a strange way. She couldn't help but notice he was studying her belongings with suspicious eyes, however, and Klara finally turned to head into the kitchen and set down the flowers in her hands, shaking her head to herself. She supposed she would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed – after all, he probably thought she was a Nazi.

The heavy trudging of boots against her wooden floorboards announced his approach and Klara turned to face him as he entered the kitchen, wanting to keep a careful eye on him. He looked around for a second then stepped up to the table sitting between them. Then he propped up the end of the bat on it and laid both of his hands on the end of the handle, resting his chin atop his hands in a casual way that completely contradicted the guarded, calculating look he sent her.

"Why did you help me?" He finally asked her slowly.

"It is what anyone in my position would do." Klara stated simply, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to shield herself from his doubtfulness. He was beginning to make her extremely nervous and she had the feeling that he knew it.

He scoffed. "Ya _do _know who I am, don't ya?" He asked disbelievingly.

"Of course – you are the Bear Jew. I would have to be blind or an idiot to not know who you are." Klara said matter-of-factly. She reached up to take off her hat, running a self-conscious hand over her hair to smooth it down, before dropping it onto the table. She inspected his dirty face again then grabbed for a damp towel by the sink to toss it towards him. He didn't move to catch it and watched as it bounced off his chest and landed with a _plop_ on the table. "That was for you to clean your face." She informed him with a quirked eyebrow.

"I figured." He shot back, returning his gaze to hers and ignoring the rag. "You're obviously a Kraut, lady, so why would ya help little old Bear Jew?" He asked, tilting his head as he stared at her. "I'd think ya'd just be _dancing_ at the thought of turning me over. Hell, it'd probably land ya a nice little Nazi husband. Isn't that what ya German girls dream of?"

Klara's eyed narrowed into a glare. "First of all, you may call me Klara, _not_ Kraut. It's quite offensive." He snorted at this. "Second, I am not like most Germans." She told him, moving to her ice box to look for something to eat or drink…anything to distract herself from the man burning holes into the back of her head with his gaze just then.

"I've heard that one before." Bear Jew said matter-of-factly. "Right before I bashed their heads in with my little friend here." He added, thumping his bat against her table for emphasis. "They all got what they had coming to them." When she looked at him over her shoulder, he was smirking at her in a way that did not promote his sanity. He was clearly trying to intimidate her and she was well aware of it.

"What is your real name?" She asked, crossing her arms. The Bear Jew simply smirked and shook his head.

"Why do ya wanna know?" He shot right back at her. It was everything in her to hold back the biting comment on the tip of her tongue and she gritted her teeth in annoyance, meeting his gaze steadily. "Cat gotcha tongue?" His question earned him a withering glare from Klara but he only smirked in triumph and began to glance around her kitchen. "Got any food in this place?"

She strongly considered refusing him and kicking him out onto the street, whether the guards were gone or not, but decided against it. He did, however, need to learn that he wasn't allowed to walk all over her just because he was the dreaded Bear Jew. "If it will shut that large mouth of yours for even a moment, then yes, I do." Klara responded with a sickly sweet smile, making sure to a use a tone that would let him know she wasn't one to be pushed around.

Something flashed across his eyes when he picked up on her attitude but he simply smirked wider and strode towards her, resting his bat casually against his shoulder. He stopped an arm's length away and studied her for a second before reaching around her to produce a small piece of cheese from her icebox, keeping his eyes locked on her as he popped the food into his mouth and then chewed it slowly. His close proximity put every nerve in her body on alert but she firmly stood her ground, silently attempting to convey to him how unimpressed she was with his behavior. He didn't seem affected by her terse attitude and merely reached around her for more food, his eyes silently daring her to say something in challenge.

Having grown tired with his rude and condescending actions Klara hastily skirted around him, happy to turn her back on his unyielding stare, and grabbed a few loafs of bread. Once they were securely wrapped up in a large towel she turned to shove them into his arms. His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he had to juggle both the food and his bat for a second, but Klara offered no explanation for her actions and simply turned to walk out of the room – she could feel his eyes on her back the whole way.

"No need to get pushy." The Bear Jew finally called after her.

"Then say thank you next time." She shot back, rounding the corner and heading for her bedroom. "You may show yourself out."

Not five seconds later, she heard him storm out of her kitchen before the front door opened and then slammed shut with his departure.

Klara had to let out a sigh of relief, a bit glad that the awkward meeting was over and done with. Of course she'd wondered what it would be like to meet the Basterds, even dreamed that they would be impressed with her should they ever find out about her secret, but she hadn't expected them to act the way the Bear Jew had. The more Klara thought about it though, she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised by his behavior. He wasn't here to make friends; he was here to kill Germans. And _she _was a German. She was lucky he hadn't knocked her head off with his bat.

She had just begun to change from her daily clothes to her night things when she heard the front door open and close again. She froze in surprise then had to fight back a smirk when an irritated voice rang out.

"How the fuck do I get outta this place?" He called to her. "Can't exactly afford to be leisurely strolling around France, if ya know what I mean."

Klara tried not to look amused or victorious when she strode casually out of her bedroom and saw the Bear Jew standing at the end of her hallway. He did look rather conspicuous thanks to his attire and his bat, and currently he also looked positively annoyed that he'd had to come back and ask her for directions out of town. Klara had yet to say anything and put her hands on her hips, watching him expectantly.

"Listen lady, if ya not gonna help…" He started to say.

She held a hand up to silence him and was actually a bit surprised when he snapped his lips shut. "I will help you, but do you not have something you would like to say to me first? Perhaps an expression of gratitude for providing you with a safe hiding place _and _for giving you food?" Klara asked him. "I can think of at least _one_ thing I would say if the roles were reversed."

The Bear Jew glared at her for a moment and she had the distinct impression that she was pushing her luck with him, but should they ever have another meeting like this one, he needed to know first and foremost that she wasn't someone to be taken advantage of. She walked took a few steps in his direction, raising her eyebrows at him questioningly, and he finally rolled his eyes with a heavy heave. "Thank you for all ya hospitality." He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Then he motioned, quite grandly, for her to lead the way. "Now show me how to get the fuck outta here."

Klara brushed past him, ignoring the way her body tingled when she made the briefest contact with his, and went to grab her hat again. He was waiting for her by the door when she reconvened with him and as she searched for the key to her house in her pocket, Klara hesitated when her hand brushed over the note she planned to leave for Dieter. If the man in front of her got his hands on the note and managed to decipher it, she knew she'd be in some serious trouble – him finding out about her secret mission of helping Jews escape Europe wouldn't bother her; him finding out about her _brother_ and what he did, however, was a different story all together.

"Wanna hurry it up?" He asked impatiently.

Klara snapped out of it and shoved the note further into her pocket, hurrying to follow him outside. He waited for her while she made sure the door was locked and then wordlessly trailed behind her when she motioned for him to follow her to the alley. "Where must we go?" She asked him quietly. He snorted in amused disbelief, acting as though he didn't want to tell her, so Klara turned to face him with a pointed look. "If you do not tell me where you are hiding then I cannot show you the way out."

He regarded her for a long moment then sighed and rubbed his face, obviously struggling with an internal battle. "Fine." He conceded. "I need to get to the highway – or rather, the forest right next to it."

Klara was surprised to hear of the location – the patch of woods by the highway was where she always led the refugees to and where she convened with Dieter. It felt almost like fate was teasing her just then and she had to wonder at the irony of the entire situation.

Showing The Bear Jew out of town was no different from the times she'd snuck countless people out of the city; they slunk around in the shadows, peeked warily around corners, and kept quiet (well, quiet on her part; The Bear Jew was about as inconspicuous as an elephant would have been) and alert at all times. Her companion kept close to her the whole time, so close that she could almost feel his breath on the back of her neck whenever they would stop, and she wasn't sure if his closeness or their sneaking was the cause for her pounding heart. Either way it took all of her effort to remain focused on the task at hand and _not _on the handsome American glued to her hip right then.

Klara came to a quick stop when the highway came into sight and halted him with a hand, peering around cautiously to check for any loitering German troops. Four guards patrolled the intersection, which was something she'd grown accustomed to seeing by this point, but other then them she could see no more soldiers in the near vicinity. Klara glanced back at The Bear Jew and he turned his eyes down to meet her gaze intently, waiting for direction.

Deciding not to risk causing a scene, she jerked her head to the right. "This way." She instructed, wrapping her fingers around his wrist to pull him quickly across the street.

The feel of his skin under her fingers made her heart thump a bit wildly but she repressed the feelings, trying to focus on getting him out of the city in one piece. Klara was happy to release her hold on him when they approached a short garden fence and she hopped over it with expertise, turning to look at him expectantly.

"Looks like you've done this before..." He commented, watching her with a cocked eyebrow.

"Just hurry." She hissed at him.

The Bear Jew made his way very ungracefully over the fence (since he refused to put down his bat _or _the food she'd given him) and stumbled once he made it to the other side, nearly falling onto his butt but managing instead to simply fall back against the fence with a grunt. Klara smirked at him in amusement, to which he glared at her and grumbled something under his breath, then motioned for him to move along. Once he righted himself again, he was hot in her heels. "Where are we going?" He asked her lowly, his eyes darting around as they began to trek across the small garden.

"To the forest, of course." She told him. "I merely assumed the garden would be less treacherous then trying to sneak past Nazis."

He scoffed and glared in the direction of the guards. "I could take 'em." He said haughtily.

Klara ignored him and hopped over another fence, resisting the urge to laugh when the Bear Jew followed her suit and then cursed as he nearly went tumbling to the ground for the second time. As soon as he was by her side again she continued on to the familiar tree-line looming ahead of them. She leapt over the small ditch separating the town from the forest then stopped once he'd cleared the ditch as well. "Here you are." She said with a wave of her hand. "The forest as requested."

He nodded as he took in the sight of the trees then turned his eyes back to her. "Ya not gonna run over there screaming ya head off to alert all those guards, are ya?" He asked her skeptically.

"Would I have really gone through all this trouble just to sell you out before you are about to escape?" Klara asked him with a smirk. "Besides, I thought you could 'take them'?" That made him shut his mouth and he pursed his lips at her before finally offering a quick nod of thanks. She returned the gesture and walked past him to leave, not wanting to linger in the area any longer then she needed it to. "Goodbye, Bear Jew." She said over her shoulder before hopping back over the ditch.

"So long…Klara." He responded.

There wasn't a hint of sarcasm or menace to his tone and it shocked Klara so much that she stumbled to a halt, turning to look back at him with surprised eyes. He, however, had already disappeared into the darkness of the woods. She gulped, crossing her arms around her body as her eyes did a quick sweep of the trees before casting a look back at the highway, where headlights could be seen going up and down the road. But when she looked back to the woods again an unexplainable sense of emptiness filled her, making her frown in complete confusion. Why was she suddenly sorry to see rude and crass man known as The Bear Jew go? She shook her head quickly before turning around and heading back to the fence, clearing it effortlessly and refusing to look behind her again as she began the trek back home.

Klara leaned heavily against her door once she finally within the safety of her house and looked around slowly, sucking in a steadying breath. It was odd, but now that she'd delivered the Bear Jew back into the trees of the French woods and now that her house was only occupied by her, it looked strangely vacant. It was absolutely ridiculous to have such thoughts when she'd barely known him for an hour, even more so considering that for the most part the Bear Jew hadn't seemed to like her very much.

Klara rolled her eyes at her own absurdity then yanked off her hat and jacket to deposit them carelessly on the couch. She crossed her arms as she surveyed her house again and began to wonder just what the Bear Jew had thought of her home – it was small but the furniture was new and polished and obviously expensive, which Kurt had insisted upon when moving her into the house. Most Germans would have proudly displayed anything that linked their family with the Nazi regime but Klara had carefully hidden any pictures she had of her brother in his uniform, choosing only to bring them out whenever he was visiting. And thank the lord above too; otherwise she would probably be dead where she stood at that moment.

Deciding to stop thinking about The Bear Jew and head to bed for the night, Klara headed to the bedroom to change then settled in the cool sheets, rolling onto her side and pulling the covers up to her chin as she got comfortable.

As soon as her eyes closed, his face invaded her thoughts again. And against her will she found herself thinking about The Bear Jew again, wondering where he was and if he had returned safely to his comrades. She turned onto her back with a huff and shook her head, irritated beyond belief that this man was still invaded her mind. Why was she so concerned about him? It was unlikely that they would even meet again, so why was Klara letting him affect her so? She knew she needed to forget about him but somehow, she just couldn't seem to banish him from her thoughts.

Eventually, though it took a long time, she finally managed to fall into a fitful sleep. And even then it was with dreams centering about a bat-wielding, Jewish-American soldier.

* * *

"Forgive me for being late." Klara said apologetically in French to Shoshanna once she was seated at the café table the next morning.

Shoshanna waved a hand carelessly, flicking cigarette ashes over the table when she did so, before she leaned back a bit further into her seat. "You do not look very well. Did you not sleep last night?" Her friend questioned as she sipped her wine and gazed at her with slight concern.

Klara shook her head. "No, not well at least." She said as she removed her coat and moved to hang it on the back of her chair. Then she leaned closer, dropping her voice. "I met someone last night. And not just anyone, friend. I met –"

"Pardon me, would you like anything to drink, madam?" A brisk voice interrupted from her right. Klara looked up in surprise before smiling at the waiter and ordering a glass of cabernet while Shoshanna looked at him with a hint of annoyance for his interruption. The waiter nodded before walking away as quickly as he had come over, leaving them in silence once more.

"Continue." Shoshanna urged.

"I met The Bear Jew last night." Klara hissed very quietly.

"You _what_?" Shoshanna asked, looked at her in shock. She and Shoshanna had discussed the Basterds in length on more then one occasion, expressing wishes of being able to meet the men and shake their hands for what they were doing throughout France. But as much as they admired them for their work, neither of them had ever thought they would _actually_ meet any of them. "Where? How?"

"He must have gotten separated from the others – he was running from SS soldiers and took the alley right by my house as I was returning home. I urged him to hide in my house so that he would not be caught, then I had to show him the way back out of town." Klara explained quickly. The waiter returned just then and Klara thanked him with a smile for the wine, sipping it quickly once it was in her hands.

Shoshanna was looking at her with wide eyes and it was evident that she was about to bursting with all the questions she wanted to ask. "Did you tell him about what you do?" Her friend finally asked.

"No."

"Why not?" Shoshanna asked incredulously. "They would be happy to hear it. It might even inspire them more if they knew that there are people like you trying to make a difference." She explained. "And perhaps they would even ask if you wanted to help in other ways, maybe ask if you had friends that wanted to help them fight!" Shoshanna rambled quickly, her French words almost blending together in her excitement and making it a bit difficult for Klara to keep up with her.

"Emmanuelle." Klara said sharply, using the woman's fake name and abruptly quieting her friend at the same time. "Getting involved with the Basterds is dangerous. And neither you _nor _I need to be involved in anything that will cause us even more trouble." She said very quietly, switching to English so that it would be harder for others to eavesdrop, just in case. "I have told you before and I will say it again, your time will come."

Shoshanna watched her steadily for a moment before nodding once in resignation. "I know."

They fell silent for a moment and both took long drinks from their wine glasses. After a few seconds Klara pulled out a small envelope from her jacket pocket and put it on the table in front of her friend. "There is one more thing." She said, nodding to the envelope. "I received it just as I was coming to meet with you." Klara explained as Shoshanna opened the envelope and began to unfold the yellowed paper slowly.

Klara watched her read it over, noting how Shoshanna frowned and how her hands trembled just the slightest as she took the words in. The blonde sat back in her chair and slowly lit up another cigarette, finding the task difficult thanks to her shaky hands, then turned her eyes to stare out of the window.

"I am truly sorry. But I wanted you to know." Klara whispered.

"It's alright. Thank you for telling me." Shoshanna said just as quiet, her gaze distant as she lost herself in her thoughts.

Klara reached across the table and scooped the envelope and telegram back up, not bothering to look at it again as she folded it up and replaced it back into the pocket of her jacket. She'd read it at least three times on her way to the restaurant and it didn't matter how many times she went over it, the words would not change or ease her anxiety in the slightest; her brother would be in Paris within a month and Landa would be following him not long after.

**A/N: Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Alrighty! I'm loving the response dudes! Keep it coming!**

**As usual, I own nothing. Don't sue me. Please. I beg you, don't sue me. **

**Enjoy!**

After her lunch with Shoshanna, Klara went about her day as usual. She ran her errands, went by her grandparents house to drop off a few things they had asked her to pick up the previous day when she'd run into Emmerich, popped into the bookstore to pick up a few novels she'd been wanting to get by her favorite author, and so on and so forth. She wasn't finally heading back to her home until it was nearly nightfall and she sighed heavily when she remembered she wouldn't be staying there for long. Klara would be heading to the woods for the third night in a row to leave her note of warning for Dieter, which wasn't sitting particularly well with her right then. She didn't like to frequent the forest often as she was afraid it would look too suspicious should anyone be keeping tabs on her for some reason, but she didn't have a choice – her comrades needed to know what was coming their way, it was simple as that.

She could feel the nerves building up inside of her as she tried, again, to wrap her head around the fact that Kurt would be visiting her soon. It shouldn't have been too big of a surprise since he had attempted to make regular visits here and there, but she had hoped that he would be too busy with his 'duties' to come and see her. The Standartenführer was keeping him so busy these days that he hardly had time to converse with her through mail; it was just her luck that he would be coming right to her doorstep.

Not for the first time, Klara found herself wondering just what Kurt would think if he were to find out what it was she occupied her time with. He had surely dealt with plenty of people that harbored refugees and she was fairly positive that he himself had carried out their punishments, but what would he d if he knew about her secret? And how would he react if he knew she'd hidden the Bear Jew in her house when he was being chased by German soldiers? Would Kurt treat her with the hostility he reserved for his victims? Or would their blood relation save her from corporal punishment? She was, after all, the only family that he chose to claim these days.

Whatever his response, Klara would never regret the things that she had done. Kurt could be as angry as he wished, punish her as much as he desired, but she would accept whatever came her way with her head held high. To her, Kurt had tarnished their family's name with the work he and Landa had been doing – it was strangely satisfying to know that she, in turn, would receive her chance to tarnish his pristine reputation some day.

As she neared her house, a figure on her doorstep came into view and made her hesitate. She squinted in the dark as she tried to make out the figure and cursed the not-so-well-lit street when she was forced to move closer to get a better look. When the mysterious figure turned to face her, it only took a second to recognize him – military boots, a crisp uniform, perfectly styled hair, a bouquet of roses; Emmerich Haugg was standing on her porch and now looking at her with a wide grin.

"Good evening, Miss Bathurst." Emmerich said in their native tongue.

Klara nodded at him and smiled politely, glancing back and forth as she looked to see if anyone else was present. "Emmerich…I was not expecting to see you again so soon, especially not here." She responded, motioning to her house as she walked up the porch steps to join him.

Emmerich actually looked a little embarrassed and ducked his head for a moment. "Forgive me. I know that it is very forward of me to arrive on your doorstep not once but two nights in a row, and I do hope that it will not make your neighbors think differently of you if they have seen me. I simply could not wait to see you again. You've made quite an impression on me." He explained quickly, his eyes never breaking contact with hers. "I was sincerely hoping that you would allow me to treat you to both a dinner and perhaps a show at the cinema not far from here." Emmerich suggested quickly.

Klara looked at him for a long moment, weighing the options in her mind. She generally knew better then to turn down men such as Emmerich; he was obviously quite sure of himself and confident that he would be able to get her to fall for him, and men like him didn't take rejection well. He would either react in a hostile way or simply pursue her even further. On the other hand, if she encouraged him too much, she may not be able to get rid of him. She was in quite a pickle right then.

"If you would rather not…" Emmerich began to say, a frown gracing his features.

"No, no." Klara found herself saying quickly. "One night in your company should not hurt me too badly." She said, trying to sound lighthearted and joking. Inside, she was cringing and slapping herself for having given in to his request. _Stupid, stupid, stupid…_

"Wonderful!" Emmerich exclaimed happily, taking a few steps towards her now. Then he extended his arm to hand her the flowers he'd obviously brought for her. "For you." He said simply, a huge grin on his face. "I made sure that only the best were chosen."

Klara accepted them with a quick 'thank you' and then moved to unlock her door. "If you would not mind waiting in the living room," she said with a bit of reluctance, "I need to change into something more suitable." She finished explaining before opening the door and walking in. For a brief moment she wished that the Bear Jew had left behind some hint of his presence from the previous night so that it might scare Emmerich off, but she knew very well that he hadn't – she'd checked.

"I will wait very patiently." Emmerich promised her before taking a seat on her couch, but only after she granted him permission.

Klara walked into her bedroom and shut the door, rolling her eye dramatically and shaking her head as she changed into a simple navy blue colored dress and donned a fancier pair of heels then the ones she'd previously been wearing. She supposed that Dieter would have to wait another night unless she was able to worm her way out of the date early. The cover of darkness was always welcome when she was headed towards the secret meeting spot but she hated leaving whenever it was _too _late at night. It always made her uncomfortable.

Emmerich was inspecting a picture of her father and her brother when she returned to the living room and she watched him set the frame down hastily. He stood up, smoothing out his uniform, and smiled at her. "You look beautiful." He complimented.

"Thank you." Klara responded, glancing at the picture frame. Emmerich did too and then shrugged at her.

"I was surprised to see that you did not have a picture of your brother in uniform." He commented idly, glancing down at the frames on her coffee tables. Klara nodded in understanding and walked over to her drawer, pulling out a large envelope. Emmerich laughed heartily for a moment when she produced a picture and handed it to him before he sobered up and looked at it admiringly. "Why on earth would you hide such a worthy picture?"

"I needed to get it touched up." Klara lied as she tried to take the picture back from him.

Emmerich was entranced though and refused to hand it over right away, making her stare at him with barely concealed impatience. They were all alike, every last soldier in the SS. All were fascinated by those who had 'accomplished' more then them, all equally as enthralled when looking upon the face of those most responsible for the deaths of the Jewish civilians in Europe. They looked at them like they were some sort of God, something they strived to be. She turned her eyes to the photo, looking at the faces of herself, her brother, and one of the most feared men in Europe before her thoughts returned to the night that the picture had been taken…

* * *

"_Klara!" Kurt called over the crowd, waving her over with a few quick jerks of his hands. _

_She smiled politely as she weaved her way through the party, stopping briefly to talk to officers or soldiers that stopped her before finally making her way to her brother. She and Kurt looked similar with their light blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and slightly tanned complexions, but where Kurt had very strong and angular features, Klara had a rounder and softer face. She looked much kinder and much more caring then Kurt's hard, authoritative appearance. He was handsome, that was undeniable, but almost in a dangerous way. _

"_Yes, brother?" She asked with a smile when she finally reached him. There was a man standing next to him that she had never met before but Klara had a very strong feeling that she knew exactly who he was. He stared at her with open interest and she forced on a smile, nodding to him dutifully._

"_I would like you to meet someone very important." Her brother revealed. "Klara, this is Standartenführer Hans Landa." He introduced as he pushed her closer to the older man. _

_The name brought on a torrent of emotions within her. He was, without a doubt, one of the biggest threats to the Jewish community and she was undoubtedly angry at him for what he'd been doing. The tiniest shock of hatred shivered down her spine but as quickly as she saw red in her unnoticed fury, the emotion was overridden by a wave of nervousness. She then found herself in awe of the sudden terror that he made her feel. Landa was staring at her with a wide, unwavering, close-lipped grin and while she assumed he was trying to look polite, he looked quite menacing. He grabbed her hand in a quick and graceful swoop, pressing a quick kiss to it. _

"_Standartenführer, may I introduce my one and only younger sister, Klara." _

"_You did not lie, Kurt." Landa said as he let her hand slip from his slowly. "But I would say that she is even more beautiful then your description." _

_Klara blushed but couldn't seem to form any words to his statement, at a loss of what to say. That was, until, Kurt nudged her very discreetly. "You are too kind." Klara managed out quickly. _

"_Nonsense. It is you who is kind enough to allow your brother to hold this celebration in your _lovely _home, Miss Bathurst, so that we may look upon _true _beauty. I must say, after the scum we come across day in and day out, you and your home are truly a welcoming and pleasant sight." Landa said smoothly, motioning his hands grandly the whole time. Klara had heard that he was very charismatic and she could now see that all the rumors were true. _

"_Klara welcomes us with open arms, Standartenführer. This I assure you." Kurt boasted proudly. Klara smiled at him and nodded. _

"_You must be so very proud of your brother. Of all the soldiers I have met in my long career, Kurt has shown the most ambition and promise." Landa said, nodding in Kurt's direction as her brother waved to another officer that was coming towards them. _

"_Of course I am." Klara said with a nod, lying through her teeth. "Our parents, rest their souls, would have been simply overjoyed to see the progress Kurt has made these few short years. I am thankful that I have been privileged to see him blossom in your ranks." She really was beginning to get very good at lying. _

"_Good, good." Landa said with the same stretched smile as Kurt chatted away with an older and very portly officer. "Though he did relay some interesting information to me only last night…" He began to say, his eyebrows creasing as his smile fell a bit. "He informed me you would be moving to France. Why, might I ask, would you want to leave the country?" _

_Klara gulped quickly and made a face that she hoped expressed sadness. "I am very sad to go, Standartenführer, but our grandparents are very old and can no longer care for themselves. They contacted me to ask if I would come to stay nearby and be there to help them." She explained quickly. Landa was nodding his head, his eyes staring unblinkingly at her. "I would have requested a live in nurse but after the loss of our parents, I would feel much more secure looking after our only remaining family myself." _

_Landa appeared a bit more convinced, even impressed, and nodded his head. "Very noble of you." _

"_Now, what have I missed?" Kurt asked as he rejoined their conversations. _

"_Your sister was just explaining to me her very noble reasons for leaving our lovely country and I must say, I am very impressed." He said. Kurt was practically beaming with pride at her. "I have met many women but the strength and maturity your sister shows is very admirable. The Bathurst family continues to amaze me." _

_At that moment, a tall man carrying a large and bulky camera popped up nearby. "Standartenführer, would you mind posing for a picture?" He asked, looking a bit nervous. _

"_Certainly, but only if I may pose with my two friends here." He said, placing a hand on Klara's back and pulling her in closer to him. She almost jumped out of her skin but resisted the urge when Kurt joined them on her other side. The camera flashed a moment later and the photographer thanked them profusely before taking two more and weaving his way back into the crowd. _

"_We shall definitely have to get a copy of that." Kurt commented as he moved away. Klara realized that Landa still had his arm around her and gently removed herself from his grasp, even as he continued to stare at her. _

"_Yes. I shall too." He said, his mouth stretching into another smile. _

* * *

"If you do not mind me asking, when was this picture taken?" Emmerich asked as he finally handed it back to her. Klara took it and went back to the cabinet to pull out a large frame to put it in. She figured it would be better to keep the photograph out while Emmerich was still there.

"Last year – just before I moved to Paris." Klara answered before propping the picture up on her table. Emmerich looked absolutely amazed as he nodded his head.

"You are very lucky." He said.

Klara nodded reluctantly, starting to feel quite annoyed with the way he was acting and glanced at her clock before motioning to it. "We should go before it gets too late." She suggested, walking to her coat hanger to grab her jacket and wrap it around her. Emmerich nodded adamantly and jogged to her door to hold it open for her. She walked past him with a small smile, glancing around once she was on her porch. She was almost praying the Bear Jew would pop up and save her from the date.

This time around, Emmerich asked more questions about her. He wanted to know her hobbies, her aspirations, and he of course inquired as to whether she had any plans to move back to Germany. She tried to keep her answers vague, not wanting to give away too much of her personal information, and by the time they were headed to the cinema Klara was not only dying to get away from him, but skillfully avoiding his right hand, which seemed determined to link with her left.

Emmerich greeted a number of men when they entered one of the theaters and Klara noticed that many of them turned to look at her curiously. She smiled politely to people she passed as they went to their seats, not missing the way Emmerich was motioning back and forth between them. It was clear he wanted people to know they were there together; it took all of her self control not to roll her eyes. Klara made to her seat before he did and stood in front of it while she took off her coat. A glance up at the projector room revealed Marcel, Shoshanna's lover, as he moved around and prepared the movie reels. When she finally took her seat and looked to see where Emmerich was, she froze.

She easily recognized the two soldiers that he was talking to – they had been in the group of soldiers that had been chasing the Bear Jew the night before.

When they saw her looking at them they nodded at her quickly. She waved back slowly and then watched Emmerich make his way towards her. Once he was seated, he turned to her and grinned.

"Friends of mine." He said, motioning to the two soldiers. "They had informed me that they were by your house last night and that you had mentioned my name…it was what gave me the courage to come back a second night." Emmerich admitted. "I was confirming to them that I was the Emmerich you spoke of." He finished proudly.

"Did they tell you why they were by my house?" She asked curiously.

"Yes." Emmerich said with a nod, now looking concerned. "And I would advise you not to walk the streets alone if that neanderthal is still running loose in your neighborhood. We have all heard of the things he has done to men…I would hate to see what he would do to a woman." He said before the lights dimmed and the show began to play.

Klara just smirked to herself, turning her attention to the screen.

* * *

Emmerich left her on her doorsteps after planting a very awkward kiss on the cheek and receiving strict instructions from her to leave word the next time he wished to spend time with her. He had accepted her excuse that it was inappropriate for him to continuously show up on her doorstep and promised her that he would send her a note the next time. Klara glanced at the clock once she was inside her house and immediately went to change when she saw that the night was still fairly young. If she moved quick enough, she'd be able to get to the meeting spot at a decent time and be back home before it was too late.

It was always much quicker for her to move alone since she wasn't nearly as conspicuous and she didn't have any trouble weaving through the streets that night. Once she was at the clearing a short time later, she stopped and peeked around the trees. The looked motionless and unthreatening and once she was convinced that she was very much alone, Klara moved towards the tree that had a large hole squirrel hole in the trunk. The hole was just low enough for her to reach when she was on her tiptoes and she quickly produced the note for Dieter before reaching up to stuff it into its usual hiding place. Then Klara turned and quickly began to make her exit, wanting to get out of there as fast as she could.

She'd made it about ten feet away from the clearing when an arm reached out from behind a tree and wrapped around her neck. It wasn't wrapped tight enough to strangle her but it certainly kept her in place and Klara began to struggle against her captor, kicking at their limbs and trying to dig her elbows into their sides.

"Release me at once!" She hissed angrily in German.

"I told ya." A voice murmured near her ear in English. "I don't understand ya when ya speak in German, lady."

The voice was a familiar one, even though she'd only heard it for the first time the previous night, and immediately Klara stopped struggling. The Bear Jew released her and she turned around to face him, barely able to make out his features in the dark but unable to help the distasteful glare on her face in response to his less then cordial greeting. "What are you doing here?" She hissed at him. "And how did you even know it was me?"

"I could ask ya the same thing." He shot at her, choosing not to respond to her questions. "In fact, I will – what the hell are ya doin' out here?" He asked her with an angry edge to his voice. Klara was fairly confident that whatever trust she might have gained with him the previous night had been shattered by her appearance in the woods she now knew to be the location of the Basterds' camp.

"It's none of your business." Klara responded, irritated with him for his brusqueness.

"Ya better make it my business or my friends surrounding ya right now will have something to say about all this…and ya won't like what's on their mind." He warned her. She glanced around nervously but couldn't make out anything other the dark trees and the man in front of her. "Ya see it looks pretty suspicious, you being here after showing me the way out last night. Makes me wonder if maybe ya brought some friends along this time."

Klara looked at him for a long moment then shook her head. "It would be very far fetched for me to come back to _this _area of the woods in hopes that you _might _be wandering near by." She explained, quickly eyeing the weapon he was wielding. The Bear Jew was not holding a bat this time; he'd instead opted for a sawed-off shotgun and it was resting against his shoulder as he eyed her disapprovingly. "Like I said yesterday, I could have easily turned you in last night if I wanted to."

He watched her for a moment then wordlessly reached forward and grabbed her roughly by the collar of her coat, dragging her back into the clearing. Klara struggled against him the whole way but her attempts to free herself were futile seeing as he was much stronger then her. When she was about to simply slip out of her coat and make a run for it, he lurched her forward and grabbed her by the arm instead. She knew there would be no escaping his grasp and did her best not to panic, watching their surroundings warily. When they stopped walking, Klara noticed that they were stopped directly in front of the tree she used to pass along messages to Dieter.

"Grab whatever it was ya put in there, blondie." The Bear Jew growled.

Klara looked up at him for a long moment, finally able to see his face clearly since the clearing allowed enough moonlight to show through and light up everything around them, and her first thought was that Emmerich's looks were absolutely put to shame when compared to the man in front of her. Her second, she noted with a gulp, was that the Bear Jew didn't look pleased with her in the slightest right then. She didn't waste another moment to reach up and grab the note before slapping it into his hand. He stared at her for a second then unfolded the paper to read it. Then he frowned and looked at her skeptically.

"What the fuck does this even mean?" He snapped at her, not understanding the code words.

"It is a note of warning for a friend who will find it useful." She informed him.

That was around the time when Klara spotted the large knife hanging from his hip. Suddenly the idea that this might be her escape route struck her and she began to quickly devise a way to get the knife from him, just in case he deemed her a spy and decided to kill her. He was glaring down at the note again, looking between it and her very suspiciously, and when he finally moved to shove it back into her own hands Klara acted – she latched onto his hand to restrain him as well as she could then quickly grabbed for the knife on his hip, unsheathing it and holding it up to his throat in the blink of an eye.

He was grinding his teeth in obvious annoyance but the sound was drowned out by the distinct sound of multiple triggers being pulled back. She must've had at least four guns trained on her right then and she knew she'd be dead in a heartbeat if she made any move to injure the man in front of her, but Klara held her ground and glared at The Bear Jew in challenge.

"Ya got balls made outta pure brass, lady." He commented, the annoyance on his face fading away to amusement. He could have easily blown her away with the shotgun in his hand but he had made no move to use it. In fact, he didn't even really look all that concerned with the current predicament or the knife against his throat.

"And you need to learn not to manhandle women." Klara responded. His hand was still being clutched tightly in her own and when that fact registered through her mind, she almost became distracted enough to drop the knife. She could feel calluses and tough skin on his palms and fingers but the feeling was not unpleasant at all; he felt masculine and rough and she found herself liking very much the way her hand fit in his.

They stared each other down for a few more beats until he finally spoke up. "Back off, boys." He called out.

She heard the sound of triggers being moved back into their original places and slowly lowered the knife from the Bear Jew's throat as she released his hand. Klara flipped the knife to catch it by the blade and hold out the handle for him to take; he pulled a face at it and grabbed it from her slowly, returning it to its home on his hip and watching her closely as she reached up to put the note back in its original place. "Leave that there. It is _very_ important that it gets through to the person it waits for." She said, looking around so the others would know to leave it alone as well, even though she couldn't see them. Then she looked back up at the Bear Jew. "May I leave now? I would rather not deal with the scum on the streets tonight."

"Then maybe ya should stop sneaking around. It looks pretty suspicious on your part." Was The Bear Jew's retort. It was, of course, said with a smirk.

Klara knew he still didn't trust her and she didn't blame him but she wasn't exactly sure that she trusted him, either. But as she turned to leave, Klara couldn't help but want the approval of both he and the Basterds surrounding them. She _was _helping their people, after all. She continued on, mindful of the eyes trained on her back the entire way, and only hesitated when she reached the edge of the clearing. The Bear Jew straightened up when she turned around to face him again, obviously on guard again.

"And in case you were wondering, that note was warning someone that a person of interest will be nearing Paris very soon. You probably know him…" Klara revealed, staring him down as she crossed her arms. He looked a bit intrigued now and tilted his head expectantly as he waited for her to continue. "I believe many people refer to him as 'The Jew Hunter'." Klara finished.

At once his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Her revelation had clearly stunned him and when she turned to leave she was not so surprised to hear him following her. Klara glanced over her shoulder and saw he had come to a halt about halfway through the clearing. "Who the hell _are _you?" He asked her, sounding like he absolutely did not understand her at all.

"You shall find out soon enough." She said before turning and leaving. He didn't follow this time.

**A/N: Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Wooohooo! I'm so glad all you guys like the story so much. It makes me happy! **

**Anyway…you know I own nothing. **

**Enjoy!**

Four days had passed since her last run in with The Bear Jew and Klara hadn't dared to go near the clearing since. She hoped she had proven to him that it wasn't her plan to turn him or any of the Basterds over, especially since she'd informed them of Landa's impending arrival, but Klara didn't want to press her luck with him in any way, nor did she want to get too caught up in anything that they were doing. There was enough danger in her life as it was without getting caught him in whatever the Basterds were doing.

It was the end of March now and only a few more days remained before Klara would have to return to the old, dingy bar to meet with the new group she would be helping. She also had not dared to go back to the bar to see if Remy had received her message (or left another one for her) but she had decided to pay a short visit to the place that night in order to make sure everything was still copasetic. Currently, Klara raised the glass of wine up to her lips as she sat on her porch and watched people bustle around on the streets. She loved to people watch and seeing as today was an unexpectedly gorgeous day, there was ample opportunity to spy and watch as people went along with their business completely unawares.

A couple who appeared to be in their mid-forties caught her eye as they strode past. They were walking their dogs together and were arm in arm while a small girl bounced around in between them and their pets, happily occupying herself with a toy. Klara had to assume she was a grandchild. Another couple, this time around her age, walked by and she tilted her head curiously as they made their way past her porch. The girl was blonde and pretty while her male companion was a large-framed, dark haired man. They nodded to her respectfully when they saw her gaze but continued on, more interested in each other then the German sitting alone on her porch.

Klara couldn't help it – the sight of them conjured up images of her and the Bear Jew together.

It was silly and it made her want to scoff in complete annoyance, but thinking about the American had become a common, albeit reluctant, occurrence since meeting him. There was interest, yes, and attraction in abundance, but the fact remained that Klara didn't know him (or even his name) and it was not only foolish but also childish to think on him so frequently. After all, what was the point? She wasn't naïve – Klara knew that one day she would be caught because as long as there were people in need, she was always going to help. And whenever the time came to face the repercussions for her actions, she knew very well that it would be the end for her. As for The Bear Jew? He was undoubtedly sneaking around killing Nazis every chance he got and constantly putting his neck on the line – his future looked even dimmer then hers.

She smiled to herself when she spotted a group of children began playing excitedly a good way down the street, happy to tear her thoughts away from the Basterd. Klara had always wanted to fall in love, get married, and have children but of course she'd also planned her future around a stable life in Germany. Now everything had changed – the world was different, her _life _was different, and Klara was no longer convinced that bringing a child into such an unstable world would be the right thing to do.

Klara frowned at her train of thought and finished off her wine, letting the alcohol warm her belly as she glanced over at the many bouquets of roses sitting on her porch. Emmerich had been pestering her non-stop to get her to go on another date with him, sending every assortment of flower you could think of, but Klara had been doing her best to avoid him. She knew she'd have to give in to him again at some point, though – excused were more difficult to come across the more she rejected him.

"My, what lovely flowers!" Two women gushed as they stopped in front of her porch. "The fragrance is positively delightful!"

Klara smiled at the two French women and stood up quickly, grabbing two vases. "You may have some if you would like. As you can see, I am overrun." Klara offered to them, walking down her steps to greet them on the sidewalk.

They tried to protest for a moment but after Klara insisted they happily walked away with new vases full of flowers in their arms. Klara was glad to get rid of them, but not nearly as glad as she would be to get rid of _Emmerich_. He was driving her insane already and his continued presence in her life would only cause problems, that much was for certain. The brief thought that she could enlist The Bear Jew to take out Emmerich entered her mind but she quickly brushed it away with a quick laugh. Perhaps Emmerich's time would come some day, but for now Klara could only hope that the day he lost interest in _her_ would come sooner rather then later.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent lounging around her house and doing absolutely nothing of substance, so Klara finally decided to go and enjoy a dinner by herself at a café not far from where she lived once the sun started going down. She stayed long enough to have a drink or two while chatting with the owners, happy to catch up with the couple that ran the café. She didn't get to talk to them often since the café was usually very busy, but on slow nights like these, when everyone else would rather be at a bar, she couldn't think of a better place to be. It was quiet, it was comfortable, and currently there were no Nazis dampening the friendly environment.

"Klara, what is this I hear about you being seen around town with a young German soldier?" Lynette, one of the owners, asked her when she stopped at her table. Klara shook her head adamantly, making Lynette laugh. "Nothing to be concerned about?"

"Precisely – it is absolutely nothing to get concerned _or _excited about. I simply need to learn how to say no." Klara joked with her as she finished her sandwich.

Lynette tsked and reached down for her now empty plate. "But you are so pretty! When will you finally settle down?"

Klara smiled up at her and shrugged. _Whenever we live in a world where the Bear Jew is not repulsed by Germans_, she thought to herself with a smirk. Then she pulled a face and took a long drink of her wine. Klara really needed to get a better handle on herself – she'd only met him twice and she certainly didn't recall him professing his undying love for her either time. How lonely was she to be having such thoughts about someone she hardly knew?

After leaving her money for her dinner and hugging the two owners goodbye, Klara made her way back to her house. The sun was gone from the sky but there was still a pleasant purplish-blue-ish tint lingering in its wake and she smiled as she kept her eyes on it the whole way home. It was times like these when she wished she had someone to enjoy these little moments with and times like these that reminded her just how alone she was. She walked up her porch steps slowly once she arrived at her home, pulling her key out of her pocket, and had just reached for the doorknob when she noticed that a small slip of paper was sticking out from underneath her doorstep. She frowned, looking around to see if anyone was nearby, then bent over to grab it. Her first thought was that it was a late note from Emmerich, but when she unfolded it and glanced at the words, she didn't recognize the slightly messy scrawl.

_Edge of the woods. Where we went the first night. ASAP. – BJ_.

Klara felt her heart begin to race and stuffed the note into the pocket of her dress, looking around quickly again before hurriedly unlocking her door and heading straight for the bathroom as the door slammed behind her. Before she realized what she was doing she had fluffed her hair and touched up on some of her makeup. Klara rolled her eyes, laughing at herself in amusement because of her own vanity, then headed back for the door without bothering to change. She hesitated when she spotted the picture of her with Landa and Kurt on her coffee table then walked over to quickly snatch it up and shove it back into the cabinet by her kitchen. _Just in case_, Klara reasoned in her own head.

Once she was back outside, she welcomed the chilled air against her suddenly warm skin. Why was the Bear Jew summoning her? Would he be alone or would he have others with him? What could he possibly want to talk about? Her mind was racing as she wound her way through the streets but she couldn't help but to feel a bit excited at the prospect of seeing him again. Was this going to become a common occurrence?

"Well, hellooooo."

A male voice interrupted her thoughts and she looked up in surprise at the sound of the German language. She had unknowingly passed by a large group of men and it only took a second to ascertain that they were also SS soldiers. They had obviously been celebrating something and were leaning heavily on each other as they stumbled between bars. Currently the majority of them had perverse leers trained on her.

"And what, may I ask, is a _lovely_ woman like you doing wandering the _dangerous _streets of Paris this fine night?" The man that had addressed her slurred out, taking a few steps closer to her.

Klara wished she hadn't stopped to begin with and had just ignored them, as she usually did. "Headed to my grandparents house. They need help taking care of themselves." She lied smoothly as she started to continue on.

The soldier followed her at the jibing of his comrades, coming close enough so that she could smell the alcohol on his breath. It almost made her gag. "How sweet of you." He said with a smirk. Then he leaned even closer, immediately making her feel highly uncomfortable. "I must say, I never thought I would be jealous of a few old Germans." He said in a low voice. When she looked at him sharply, he winked.

"I must go." Klara said, quickening her pace. "Goodnight, soldier."

"Wait, wait, wait – " He started to say, grabbing for her hand. Klara was thankful to see the garden that she could cut through to get the woods looming ahead and she shook him off quickly before whipping around to face him.

"You misunderstand me, soldier – I have no interest in your company." Klara clarified. "Please leave me be. You would not like what my lover has to say should he find out what you are up to just now." She spat at him quite rudely.

He looked taken aback by her tone but didn't move to follow her this time when she turned on her heel to continue on. Klara did glance at him over her shoulder, just to make sure he was truly leaving her alone, and sighed in relief when she saw him staggering back to join his comrades. The encounter only proved how dangerous getting involved with the Basterd would be – on a normal day she would not have been caught off guard. But since she'd been day-dreaming about The Bear Jew she'd gotten onto the German soldier's radar. Now she just hoped the drunkard would be gone whenever she was making her way back home.

Klara reached the garden fence in no time and managed over it with a bit more difficulty considering she was in a dress. She walked up to the second fence quietly and peered over it first at the vacant area in front of the woods, frowning when she didn't spot The Bear Jew anywhere. Klara climbed over the second fence slowly, wondering if he was simply hiding at the moment, then smoothed out her dress once she was over and making her way across the ditch.

Klara came to a quick stop when the Bear Jew walked out of the trees accompanied by two men that she assumed to be part of the Basterds. She had to remind herself to breathe when the Bear Jew gave her a once over and instead turned her gaze to inspect his comrades. One was slightly shorter then the Bear Jew and looked very much European to her. She studied him for a moment before turning her eyes to the other – then her heart dropped right into her stomach.

Hugo Stiglitz.

She recognized him at once and gulped audibly. She remembered him from long before he went on his Gestapo killing spree, when he had been stationed in the same military base as her brother. The soldiers had been given a night off, they'd gone out for a drink, and Kurt had insisted that she meet with them. Hugo had been rather drunk by the time she'd (reluctantly) arrived but she distinctly remembered that he had not only been speaking to her brother for a good portion of the night but had even briefly spoken to her after her brother had introduced them.

Her hands began to shake and she had to clasp them together to hide it. It was over – Hugo would recognize her at any moment and reveal just who she was related to. The Bear Jew's trust in her would be shattered and then so would her skull.

Klara stood there waiting for the recognition to come, watching as Hugo looked her up and down with a mildly curious expression on his face. But then he returned his attention to The Bear Jew and motioned for him to get on with the meeting. He said nothing of knowing who she or her brother was and Klara firmly pried her eyes away from Hugo to look at The Bear Jew as he spoke up.

"Ya came awfully fast." The Bear Jew commented.

"Yes, well, you did say as soon as possible." She said, glancing at Hugo warily. When he turned his bored gaze on her and even leaned up against a tree in a relaxed pose, she slowly began to realize that he didn't remember her and that he wasn't about to give her away. She might still be in the clear. "Too afraid to come by yourself?" She asked with a motion to his friends, trying to hide her anxiety at seeing Hugo there behind a mask of confidence.

The Bear Jew smirked and shook his head. "We never move alone." He said. She quirked an eyebrow and was about to make a comment about the first night she'd met him but he must have read her mind because he quickly spoke up before she could say anything. "That was one time and I got separated by accident." He clarified hastily. "Anyway, I figured since you're German and all, it'd be more comfortable for ya if I brought along a few of your kind over the other guys."

Klara nodded slowly. "So what do you need?"

The Bear Jew studied her for a long moment before speaking up again. "What I need is for you to tell me what the hell you're all about, lady."

"What do you mean?" She asked, feigning ignorance. This caused The Bear Jew to roll his eyes dramatically.

"First ya hide me from the Nazis, then ya have some fool-proof way out of the city." He started reminding her. "Last night we find ya sneakin' around in the woods leaving some ridiculous fuckin' note for only God knows who and then ya tell us about that fuck Landa?" He listed off, holding up a new finger with each occurrence he named for extra emphasis. "It makes no sense that a German would do all that for a Jew, a Basterd Jew at that."

"I told you that I was different from all the other Germans, did I not?" Klara countered back. When he didn't say anything, merely stood there waiting for an explanation, Klara knew she'd have to open up to him a bit. "Listen, I am not a spy, I am not a double agent – I am just a woman that left Germany because I did not agree with the way the Jews are being treated." She told him. "I felt that by helping you, I was helping the cause." She finished. It wasn't the complete truth but the excuse would do for the time being.

The Basterds looked surprised, Hugo included. They shared looks with each other before they all turned their eyes back to her. "And how did you know about Landa?" The man to the Bear Jew's left said. She could detect a hint of an accent and wondered briefly just where he had come from.

"I am a young German woman living amongst tons of hormone driven Nazi soldiers. They will name drop anybody to try to impress me." She lied quickly. Judging by the mixed looks of disgust and amusement, the three Basterds in front of her bought it. The men nodded and then the Bear Jew stepped forward a bit.

"Alright then…" He said, regarding her a for a moment. "What else do ya know?"

Klara looked between the three of them and then began to shake her head vigorously. "No. I am not going to be an informant for you. It's much too dangerous!" She said, waving her hands and shaking her head. "No."

"If you did not want to be an informant, you shouldn't have told us anything in the first place." Hugo piped up in German quickly. He had a hard expression on his face and was tapping his gun against his shoulder, now looking impatient with her. The other man scoffed a bit and nodded his head in agreement but The Bear Jew looked absolutely confused.

"Alright, I know I'm the only non-German speaking person here, but let's not let majority rule, ok? Speak English, for fuck's sake." He said irritably.

"He believes that I should not have told you anything in the first place if I didn't want to be an informant." Klara told the Bear Jew, glaring just slightly at Hugo. "Which I suppose is true." She conceded, making Hugo nod his head. She turned her eyes back to look at the Bear Jew and sighed. "I do not know anything else right now." She admitted, leaving out the part about Landa's right hand man, her brother, also coming with him. "But, anything that I ever find out that I feel is of significance, I leave in a note in that tree for my friend. You may feel free to read anything I leave there."

The three men shared another look before they each nodded once in agreement.

"That is the extent of my arrangement with your troop, though." Klara added firmly. "I will not be gallivanting around or acting as your female accomplice to get you into places. This is it. I will tell you things I feel you need to know and we leave it at that." She said, pointing at each one of them. "I have enough on my plate without adding the trouble that comes with you in as well."

"Fine." The Bear Jew agreed. "That works for us. We don't need to be worrying about some skirt, anyway."

She glared at him for a moment in mock irritation before crossing her arms. He stared right back with a smirk that probably would have been annoying to anybody else, but Klara found it to almost be endearing. "Now what?" Klara finally asked.

"Now…" The Bear Jew started to say, tapping his baseball bat against his boot. "…ya go home." Klara nodded while the Bear Jew glanced around them. "And try not to draw attention to yourself, alright? You getting kidnapped or arrested for suspicious behavior would sure put a damper on our arrangement."

Klara resisted the urge to scoff at him for his dismissal. "Fine. Goodnight, boys." She said. She received grunts and mumbled parting words in response and nodded at them in parting before turning to leave.

Klara couldn't believe herself. It was their number one rule – do _not _get involved with the Basterds. Yet here she was giving into their demands and agreeing to pass along information to them when she knew she shouldn't be doing anything to jeopardize her safety. There were way too many people that depended on her and her comrades to be doing anything that put their operation in danger. If anyone found out she was working with the Basterds or if they ever decided to sell her out, everything would fall apart and _she _would be the one responsible for it.

Klara huffed to herself as she cleared the last fence, straightening out her dress again before setting off. _Everything will be fine, _Klara tried to convince herself. _You are not _really _involved with the Basterds…_

She briefly considered just returning to her house before the hour grew too late but then remembered her previous decision to visit the abandoned bar to check for any signs that Remy had come back. She glanced around in indecision, hearing The Bear Jew's request for her to head directly home echoing in her head, then firmly pushed him from her thoughts to head for the bar.

Her thoughts returned to the meeting with the Basterds and despite her trepidations at being in cahoots with them, Klara had to admit that a part of her was at least a tiny bit excited to be passing along information to the Americans. Aldo the Apache, who she knew to lead the Basterds, had obviously recognized that she and The Bear Jew were able to tolerate each other enough to hold conversation, maybe even work together, and it was clear that if she was needed then The Bear Jew would be the one coming to collect her. And that, Klara reluctantly confessed, was something that she didn't particularly mind…at all.

She walked for a long way, her mind a distracted and jumbled mess of thoughts centering around the Jewish man that had been plaguing her mind, so much so that she didn't notice anyone following her. Even when Klara was turning down the alleyway to head to the old rotted door to the secret meeting spot she remained unaware of her pursuer, and it wasn't until her hand was on the doorknob that she realized a man had been on her tail – unexpectedly a hand closed over her mouth an arm locked around her waist, effectively restraining her. Klara kicked and struggled, wondering if this was a test from the very man she'd been thinking about the entire time, but when her captor kicked the door open and threw her roughly inside, Klara turned to face the same soldier that had been pestering her in the street on her way to meet the Basterds.

"Well, hello again." He said, though this time with much more menace. It was easy to tell that in the time it had taken her to meet with the Basterds and walk to the bar that he had partaken in even more drinking – he was swaying to and fro under the influence of drink but the dangerous look in his eye made genuine fear trickle down her spine. "Awfully quick trip, that was." He managed out.

Klara looked around, searching for any possible escape, and spotted the other door leading to the street. She looked at him for only a moment longer before tearing off for the door. Her captor was much quicker then she thought he would be, however, and caught up to her just as she was at the door. He hauled her up off the ground before she could dart out of the bar, her scream for help echoing off the old and dusty walls, before he slammed her down onto an old table. Her screaming cut off abruptly as the air rushed out of her lungs.

"You are a _bitch_." He spat her angrily, holding her wrists against the table as he towered over her. "And the only way to deal with a woman like you is to teach her a few lessons in _respect_."

Klara didn't think twice; she brought her knee up hard, aiming for his crotch. Instead, she connected with his stomach and his eyes bugged for only a moment before he growled angrily and released one of her wrists to bring his hand down hard across her face. Klara saw white for a moment, her cheek and bottom lip throbbing painfully under the blow to her face, and she whimpered as he began to pull at the buttons of her dress. The realization of what was about to happen sunk in and Klara finally mustered up all the strength she had start screaming her head off and thrashing at him wildly, trying to hit any part of him that she could. After she caught him in the face he hit her again, and this time she tasted blood pooling up in her mouth. He called her a few choice names and then leaned over her as he began to quickly work at his own clothes.

It happened very quickly.

Light from a source that Klara couldn't place in her disoriented state suddenly filled the bar. For a moment the German soldier glared down at her, his face easily lit up now, but in the next second his face fell as a loud and sick sounding _THUNK _sounded in the air. Something warm splattered on her face and chest and she could only stare in shock as the soldier crumbled on top of her, clearly no longer conscious. He was ripped off of her and thrown to the ground and it was then that Klara realized someone had come to her rescue. That someone delivered three more deadly blows to the German, each one sounding even more vicious then the last, until silence finally filled the bar.

Klara didn't know how much time passed. The taste of her own blood was invading her mouth as she lay there heaving with her eyes closed in relief. She didn't rouse until the feel of a warm hand on her cheek made her open her eyes and she was only mildly surprised to see The Bear Jew standing over her. He looked at a loss for words and after a few moments simply grabbed her hands and helped her sit up slowly. She winced, her body aching from being thrown around, and grasped his hands tighter for support as he stared down at her in concern. Much like the first night they'd met his face and clothes were splattered with the soldier's blood and the bat that was now lying on the table next to her was coated in the sticky red liquid.

"Klara…" He said with a rough voice. His eyes were still wild from the adrenaline that had driven him to kill the soldier but his concern was obvious. "Didn't I tell ya to just go home? Do ya realize what would have happened if I _hadn't _decided to make sure ya made it back unharmed?"

She tried to smile at him in apology but discovered that she couldn't thanks to her rapidly swelling lip. She briefly thought she should feel awkward considering her dress was gaping open, providing him a prime view of her barely clothed body and undergarments, but she didn't feel embarrassed under his gaze as he surveyed the damage that had been done. Anger flared up in his eyes when he stared at her mouth for a long moment but then he shook his head, gritted his teeth angrily, and released her hands to begin re-buttoning her dress. Klara just watched him in complete awe, her heart pounding in her chest as his fingers completed their task swiftly.

The Bear Jew had just saved her. _Her. _He'd actually killed somebody to keep her from being hurt.

"Think ya can walk?" He asked her. Klara nodded and he gripped her gently by the waist. "Up ya go then." He said, helping her down from the table gingerly and then wrapping an arm around her waist to support her as he snatched up his bat. "Tell me how to get to your house from here and I'll make sure ya get there safe." He instructed, leaving no room for argument.

Klara just nodded, still looking at him in wonder as he led her out of the bar and out through door into the vacant alleyway. Then they went heading towards of her house as soon as she pointed him in the right direction.

**A/N: Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Ooh, my little chickens…just you wait! **

**To josephineb: I had considered accentuating his accent a little more while I planning out this story, but once I got started I felt that by writing his thick accent that it took away from the story so I just decided not to, but I definitely see where you're coming from. I tried to throw in a few more twangs in here and there though and I even threw in a 'wicked' just for you, haha. **

**Anyways, you dudes know I own nothing…enjoy!**

Klara made sure to hide her face in The Bear Jew's shoulder as they wound their way through the streets of her neighborhood. Though it was (thankfully) late enough to where there were hardly any people walking strolling around, she still didn't want anyone to see her face should they pass too close. Not like it would have really mattered anyway; everything about them, from their bloodied clothes to the blood-soaked bat The Bear Jew carried in his free hand, screamed _LOOK AT US!_ They looked as though they'd just massacred somebody, which was true where _he _was concerned.

"Go right at this street." She said when she took a quick peek around, pointing to the designated street they needed to turn on.

"I remember now." He confirmed to her quickly.

She wasn't sure if it was because she was in shock or not, but being this close to him was making her head spin. He wasn't too much taller then her so she fit perfectly under his protective arm. His body was warm against hers and though he strongly smelled like both the forest and the blood from the dead soldier, she could still detect just the tiniest hint of some sort of after-shave. It was quite pleasing to the senses and she found herself unconsciously pressing her nose further into his jacket. When they turned the corner, Klara was both glad and disappointed to see that they were rapidly approaching her house, but then he tightened his arm around her and she forgot to be disappointed. She instead leaned into him as they approached her house and allowed him to help her up slowly up the stairs.

It only took a moment to locate her key and unlock the door but The Bear Jew remained on alert and scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary, making sure to keep a supportive hand on her back. This gentler side that he was showing had thoroughly caught Klara off-guard, especially since she now knew just how malicious he could be, but knew better then to comment on it. He helped her through the doorway once he was satisfied that they had made it back to her home without raising any alarms then turned to shut the door and lock it. He then ushered her towards the couch and forced her to sit before striding for the kitchen as though he owned the place.

What in the world was he doing? Klara stared after him in confusion, listening as he rummaged around in her kitchen, and brought a tentative hand up to her swollen lip. She winced when she touched it and pulled back her fingers to check for blood – at least she wasn't bleeding anymore. Klara looked back up as The Bear Jew re-entered holding a wash cloth in one hand and cold piece of meat in the other. He sat down on the coffee table in front of her, which caused her to thank _everything_ that was holy for having decided to hide the picture of Landa and Kurt again, and held out the piece of meat to her.

"Here. This'll help the swelling." He said, passing it over. She accepted it and pressed it against her cheek, wincing at the temperature for a moment before relaxing as it began to numb the throbbing pain there. He watched her for a moment, fiddling with the wash cloth, before reaching up to her face to start wiping the soldier's blood off her skin. She didn't even attempt to hide her surprise but he ignored her reaction and turned his eyes to concentrate on what he was doing. "Did he do anything…else? Ya know…anything other then hittin' ya?" He asked.

It was easy to understand what he was asking her and Klara shook her head. A brief look of relief flashed across his face but it was gone in a second as he nodded his understanding. "What made you decide to follow me home?" She asked him after a couple of moments of silence.

He just shrugged at her and raised a brow. "Pretty German girl walkin' home all by herself late at night? Figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to make sure no one tried anything." He explained. "Obviously, I was right to follow my gut."

So he thought she was pretty? And he was concerned enough to make sure she made it home safely? Klara smiled but then winced when it caused a strain on her swollen lip. But when he eyed her mouth for a long moment, clearly inspecting the area that the soldier had struck, the pain in her lip was forgotten. Instead, they began to tingle with their want to feel his lips on hers and she had to clear her throat and turn her eyes away, reminding herself that he was only concerned and definitely _not _thinking about her in that way.

"Thank you." She told him gratefully, looking anywhere but at him in an attempt to distract herself from her temptations.

"Yeah, don't mention it, blondie." He responded. Once he was finished wiping the blood from her face he folded the cloth up and began to clean his own face. Klara _did _turn her eyes back to him then, taking advantage of his momentary distraction to admire the stubble on his face and the way his dark lashes accentuated his eyes. "Who was that guy anyway? Friend of yours?" He asked with evident sarcasm.

"I have never met him before tonight." Klara said with a shrug, fighting back a blush when he met her gaze again. What was _wrong _with her? She was usually much more collected then this around attractive men – why was The Bear Jew affecting her like this? "He was saying things to me when I was on my way to meet you but I had assumed he would be gone when I came back."

He immediately looked at her as though she had three heads instead of one. "And ya didn't notice him followin' ya all the way to that bar?" He asked in disbelief.

"I was distracted." She said defensively. Then she frowned and crossed her arms, cocking an eyebrow at him. "If you were behind us for so long, why did you not stop him?" She demanded.

He had the good grace to look a little guilty but the look was gone in a second and replaced by a much more defensive one. "I didn't know what he was gonna do and I didn't wanna draw too much attention to anyone." The Bear Jew retorted. "And I didn't even figure out where you guys had gone until ya started screaming ya head off." He defended.

Klara regarded him for a long moment before nodding and accepting his explanation, at least to a certain degree. After that an awkward silence fell between them, where she fiddled with one of the broken buttons on her blouse with her free hand and he toyed with the rag in his hand. When he cleared his throat he caught her attention again and she turned her eyes back to him, waiting to hear whatever he might be about to say. He held her gaze for a second and then averted his eyes to glance around her living room – unlike the first night, he regarded his surrounding with interest rather then suspicion.

"And what would your, uh…husband…fiancé…think about all of this?" He asked seemingly off-handedly.

It was more then obvious to her that he was prying and Klara smirked before looking at the empty space next to her and putting her arm up in the air as though placing it around an invisible person's shoulders. "I am sure if he existed he would be very grateful. In the meantime, though, you are welcome to ask my friend here." She teased lightly, motioning to the space of air next to her.

The Bear Jew looked at her for a moment before letting out a short laugh and standing up, nodding his head in understanding. "I see – not involved with anyone." He clarified.

"Precisely." Klara answered.

The Bear Jew then pointed towards the kitchen, silently telling her he was going to put the cloth in his hands away before turning to walk away from her. She watched him move and wondered at this new side of him. The last time he'd been in her home he'd been rude and egotistical; now he almost looked at ease to be in her home. He sent her one last calculating look her way over his shoulder before entering the kitchen and she knew he was trying to decipher if she was really as stable as she claimed she was. Considering that he'd mostly treated her with distrust and suspicion, it was a little strange to see the concern in his eyes (even though he seemed to be doing his best to hide it).

When he returned to the living room his hands were shoved into his pockets and leaned against the doorframe, meeting her gaze steadily.

"Pretty wicked place ya got here." He complimented. "Perfectly running water, nice furniture…what exactly do ya do to be able to afford this place?"

"Thank you." She said with a smile, finally moving the cold meat away from her face and then eyeing it with distaste. "And it is actually my brother who pays for it. He does not think I should work." Klara added with a shrug.

Now he looked interested. "Ya brother, huh? And what does _he_ do?" He pried.

"He works with a detective." She answered vaguely, hoping he wouldn't pry any further.

He nodded his understanding and then ran a hand through his hair. "We'll have to find a new way to meet." He said matter-of-factly as he changed the subject, much to her relief. "If something like this were to happen again, I can't promise that I'd be there to stop it a second time. This sneaking around at night shit isn't a good idea." He warned her.

"I agree." Klara responded even though she knew very well she would still be sneaking around at night for her other duties. The knowledge that she and The Bear Jew _would _be meeting more often left her hampering down a rush of excitement. "We will work something out."

His eyes were trained on her as she stood from the couch and, as she began to head towards him, he pulled his hands out of his pockets and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Once she was close enough he let his eyes scan over her face again. "Ya sure you're alright?" He asked her uncertainly. Klara smiled at him as best she could with her swollen lip and nodded, stopping just in front of him. "I have to hand it to ya; you're one tough cookie, Klara." He said with a smirk and an impressed look on his handsome face.

Klara laughed for a moment before reaching up to pat his shoulder. "Thank you. For everything."

She didn't know what gave her the guts to do what she did next – maybe it was the pent up attraction she'd been feeling for him or maybe it was because she was still a little bit disoriented from the attack in the old bar, but suddenly Klara found herself pressing close to him, using his shoulder for leverage, and moving in to place a gentle kiss against the corner of his mouth. His eyes went wide in an instant and he stared after her in obvious surprise as she smiled shyly and then moved into the kitchen to dispose of the meat in her hands. She plopped it into the sink, taking a moment to suck in a calming breath, before searching for something to wrap it up in before throwing it away.

Klara was just reaching for a worn towel when she heard The Bear Jew approach. Her heart began to pound in her chest, her hand began to tremble, and when his hand came to rest on her back she was sure that her body would catch on fire at any given moment - his body heat washing over her did absolutely nothing to calm her nerves.

"Klara?" He asked with a huskier-then-usual voice.

"Yes?" She asked, turning to face him slowly.

There was a beat of silence where neither said or did anything – then he buried his hand into her hair and dragged her mouth up to meet his.

Apparently Klara had _not _been the only one aware of the heat that lingered between them, as she had thought to be the case. The Bear Jew was kissing her like a man starved and she sighed against his lips, every nerve in her body tuning into him as he pulled her up tightly against his chest with his free arm and anchored her to him. She eagerly returned his kiss, having to cling to his shoulders for some sense of balance, and let him manipulate her however he wanted as he deepened the kiss. A small sound of approval welled up in her throat and when he responded with a growl of his own, Klara was fairly certain her knees were going to buckle.

Their heated kiss ended abruptly when she hissed in pain and pulled away, raising gentle finders up to her lip. The Bear Jew actually looked a bit embarrassed and moved one hand to scratch the back of his neck. "Sorry." He apologized quickly through heavy pants for air. "I forgot for a second…"

"It is alright." She said quickly. She couldn't give a damn if her lip hurt right then; she just wanted to keep kissing him.

He didn't resist her when she pulled him in for another kiss but he did reign in some of his previous passion, kissing her a little more gently so as not to cause her discomfort. After a few minutes he pulled his lips from hers to trail down her jaw and neck, encircling her waist with his large hands and pulling her as close as he could. She ran her fingers through his thick hair, suddenly finding it quite hard to catch her breath, and closed her eyes and enjoyed the pleasurable feeling of his lips on her skin until his lips returned to hers. Klara felt the fire burning in wildly and knew then that the only thing that would put out the flame, the only thing she _wanted _to put it out, would be him.

She pulled away from the kiss to look him in the eye and smiled, brushing his mussed hair away from his forehead. "Be gentle with me tonight." She said, making him look at her in slight confusion.

Klara gave him a gentle kiss then grabbed his hand and began to lead him out of the kitchen. He followed her willingly, still watching her with uncertainty, and allowed her to lead him towards her bedroom. She wasn't entirely sure where this newfound bravery had come from and _never _before had she done _anything_ like this, but she did know, without a shadow of a down, that she wanted The Bear Jew. And she'd never wanted anyone as badly before.

She knew the instant that he had realized what her intentions were because he skidded to a halt, forcing her to stop as well. "Wait, Klara –" He started to say.

Klara turned to face him and shushed him with a finger over his lips. He quieted but still frowned, the look in his eyes quite unreadable. "I want this. I want you." She reassured him, moving her finger away from his lips.

He sighed heavily and reached up to run another hand through his hair, looking as though he were struggling with an internal battle. "I want ya too, believe me I do. But…you…I…it's just…fuck." He stammered, repeating the action of swiftly running his hand through his hair.

She wasn't sure if he was just trying to be a gentleman (which didn't seem likely) or if he was just unsure of the entire situation, but Klara put her hands on either side of his neck and forced him to meet her gaze.

"Neither one of us knows what the future will bring us, Bear Jew. At any moment, it could be the end for either one of us." Klara explained to him softly. "We can only be sure of now…tonight." He still didn't seem convinced so she decided to finally just be honest with him – there was no point in beating around the bush anymore when it wasn't guaranteed she would see him again once he walked out her home. "You are…different. And though I do not yet know _what _it is you make me feel, I do not want to look back on this moment and have regrets." When she leaned in to kiss him, unable to keep herself from doing so, she was pleased that he immediately responded. "Make love to me." She said against his lips.

The Bear Jew stared at her for a long moment, seemingly contemplating his choices, before closing the gap between them again and kissing her with a renewed fervor. He had most definitely made up his mind and she smiled against his lips when he lifted her swiftly into the air and carried her to her bedroom. They both knew that nothing would be the same between them afterwards but neither could bring themselves to care. Whether Klara ended up in prison for her treason or whether The Bear Jew wound up on the wrong end of a German weapon, no matter what they would always have this one night together – a night where there was no war, no threats, and where they were just two normal people sharing a night of passion.

* * *

They lay in silence for a long time afterwards, with Klara resting her cheek against his chest while his fingers trailed up and down her spine. Their clothes were scattered all over the room, having been tossed carelessly away in their eagerness, and the room was in general disarray. On her nightstand, right next to one of her necklaces, lay the dog tag of a German officer he'd killed that he wore around his neck as a souvenir. She eyed the dog tag for a moment before closing her eyes and snuggling further into his chest. Try as she might, Klara couldn't recall another time that she had been quite this content – he was very warm and smelled absolutely delicious, not to mention he was an excellent choice for a pillow. She never wanted to move again.

Klara glanced up at him as a yawn escaped her mouth and the smug smirk that flicked across his face did _not _go unnoticed. "Tired?" He asked, sounding very proud of himself.

Klara moved her head to prop her chin up on his chest and glare at him but couldn't find the strength to be mad at him once she saw the state of him. His hair was all askew, his lips were a bit swollen from their feverish kissing, and his cheeks and chest were still a bit flushed from their lovemaking. Klara had _never_ seen anybody that looked as good as he did. "Could you be any more smug?" She mocked him good-naturedly.

A large grin stretched across his features and he nodded. "Probably." He said honestly. Then The Bear Jew grasped her by the shoulders and pulled her up his body until he could reach her lips to give her a kiss, moving her as though she weighed nothing. "Wanna find out?" He asked suggestively.

Klara laughed and swatted at his chest, shaking her head. "Animal." She accused.

"They _do _call me The _Bear _Jew." He shot at her saucily.

"Ah, the true origin of your nickname reveals itself." She teased. "Though admittedly it is somewhat disconcerting to learn that _men _refer to you as such…" Klara trailed off with raised eyebrows.

He poked her side, making her squirm. "Watch it, blondie." He growled in warning. There was a gleam in his eye that let her know he wasn't truly mad, though, and she snickered before beginning to trace errant patterns on his chest, smiling at the way his chest-hair tickled her fingertips.

"I want to know more about you." Klara said a bit sleepily, fighting back another yawn.

He tensed a little underneath her. "Why?" He asked hesitantly.

"I would think it would be obvious." She told him calmly, ignoring the suspicious undertone in his voice. "Contrary to what you might be thinking of me, this never happens. Like I said – you are different."

"Different, huh?" He echoed. She nodded at him and he pursed his lips for a moment before reaching up and smoothing down her hair. "Well…I'm from Boston." He finally revealed to her. "Born and raised. And other then killing Nazis my passion is baseball – the Red Sox in particular."

It was easy to pick up on his reluctance to tell her anything more about himself but she was still satisfied at having gotten him to open up even a little. She smiled at him and nodded, deciding not to push him any further. "The bat-wielding Bear Jew enjoys _baseball_?" Klara asked in mock-surprise, drawing a laugh from him. It was the first time she'd ever heard him laugh and, admittedly, it left her feeling a little warm and fuzzy. "I might have known…"

The Bear Jew shook his head in amusement and then pulled the covers up higher around them. "The lieutenant is gonna hang me by my balls when I get back to camp." He said even as he closed his eyes and settled further into her bed. "But I just don't really give a fuck right now."

His sudden sleepiness was infectious and Klara was suddenly having a difficult time keeping her eyes open. "Why would he do that?" Klara asked around her third yawn. It had been a long, stressful day and her time with The Bear Jew had zapped her of any energy she might have had left. But she tried to stay awake, knowing that she wouldn't have much more time with him and wanting to make the most of this moment.

"Because he told me to be careful around ya and not to get involved. Now look what ya gone and done, ya conniving little wench…" He shot at her with a smirk, his eyes never opening. Klara couldn't help it – she leaned in to plant another kiss on him, her fingers rising up to toy with his hair as he happily responded. "Woman…" He growled in warning. She just smiled to herself and pulled away, nestling into his side before finally closing her eyes to give in to sleep. "Ya fallin' asleep on me?"

"Yes. I am exhausted." She confessed. "Goodnight, Bear Jew."

He chuckled a bit and she heard him say, "Night, Klara" right before she fell asleep in the warmth of his embrace and with the smell of his aftershave and the woods in her nose.

* * *

Klara blinked her eyes open slowly the next morning. She pulled the covers up to her chin to shield her bare skin from the cold, crisp air in her house, and glanced out the window to gauge what time of day it was and take a peak at the weather outside. It was bright and sunny and it seemed to still be early in the morning, and Klara smiled to herself before rolling over and focusing her attention on the space that the Bear Jew had occupied the previous night.

Even though she had fallen asleep in his arms the night before, she hadn't expected for him to be there that morning. She sighed regretfully, scooting over onto the other side of bed, and welcomed his scent as soon as she laid her head on the pillow he'd used. She had no idea if he'd slept any but it was safe to say that he'd left a long time ago judging by how cold the sheets were. Memories from the previous night flashed though her mind and she smiled to herself, blushing a bit as she snuggled into the sheets.

After lying in bed for another half hour she finally dragged herself up and got ready for the day, though The Bear Jew was never far from the forefront of her mind. There was no evidence that he'd ever been there and had the rest of the bedroom not been such a disaster area, she might not have even believed the previous night had truly happened. It wasn't until Klara made her way into the kitchen to get a glass of water that she spotted something he _had _left behind and she immediately went to the kitchen table, scooping up the note that had been waiting for her there. She smiled when she recognized the handwriting, having seen it for the first time the previous night, and read it quickly.

_Klara – _

_Don't be too pissed at me for leaving without saying goodbye. As you might have guessed, I couldn't exactly stay for long. I don't know when I'll be back on this side of town but you'll be the first to know when I am. Until then, just know that I'll be extremely fucking distracted. Be safe. _

_Donny_

So his name was Donny. Klara couldn't stop the grin that stretched across her face, even though it hurt her injured lip to do so, and held the note to her chest for a moment. Already she could feel her previous resolve _not _to become too wrapped up in him beginning to fall apart and she sighed to herself, reading the note again – it certainly wasn't Shakespeare but his words were oddly endearing in a way.

Klara finally snapped back to reality when the loud ruckus of the garbage collectors coming through reached her ears. A glance at her wristwatch let her know she was running late to her breakfast date with Shoshanna and she cursed before setting Donny's note down and hurrying to collect her things. Once she was out the door she set off in the direction of the café.

There was really no way of knowing what all of this was going to mean in the end. Obviously the physical chemistry between her and Donny was palpable but was it really fair for either of them to demand anything more then that? There was more to him then meets the eye, that much she was certain of, but Klara just wasn't sure if allowing herself to fall for him would be a smart idea – hoping for anything more then companionship in these hard times felt foolish and getting involved with him too deeply could potentially create more problems. But then again what if there _could _be something more between them? Sure, Donny was egotistical, smug, had a filthy mouth and a gruesome hobby (which would have been more then enough to send anyone else running for the hills), but he could be perfectly cordial if he wanted to, nurturing if the occasion called for it, and he _was_ an excellent lover. And oddly enough, despite his temper and her hard-headedness, there was something about them that seemed to just…_work_.

She decided then that she wouldn't overanalyze anything else from that moment on because frankly, driving herself crazy with all of the 'what if's' that surrounded her and Donny's relationship was the last thing she needed. Whatever was supposed to happen between her and Donny was in God's hands now and she was just going to let whatever was supposed to happen, well, _happen_. It was as simple as that.

**A/N: Reviews = love.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: SORRY! My life the past month between work and relationships has absolutely taken a turn for the crazy! I've been sooooo busy and very preoccupied with other things, but I promise you this story was never far from my mind! **

**This chapter gave me so much trouble, haha. I hope it doesn't suck!**

**Anyways, thank you everyone for the support of this story, its certainly shaping up to be one of my favorite pieces of work. Keep on reading and I'll keep writing!**

**Enjoy!**

It was the night of the rendezvous and she felt the familiar feelings of both excitement and anxiousness coursing through her veins. Klara fixed her hat over her hair as she stared at herself in the mirror then leaned closer to her reflection to inspect the welt lingering on the left side of her face – it had faded to an ugly yellow bruise on her cheekbone over the past two days but was still tender to the touch. Her lip wasn't as swollen anymore either, having reduced to just a cut across her lip. The injuries she'd suffered at the hand of the German soldier were ugly to look at but they also served as a glaring reminder that carelessness was _not_ an option, and the feelings of anger that stemmed from the memories of the attack only fueled the adrenaline already pumping through her veins.

Klara turned to reach for the handgun she'd purchased half a year ago and once the weapon was loaded, she headed out of the room with determination written all over her face. The blonde-haired woman plucked a dark jacket off of the coat hanger then shrugged it on, quickly stuffing the weapon in her hand into the large pocket. It was nearly two o'clock in the morning but while most everyone else in that part of the hemisphere was peacefully sleeping, Klara's night was only beginning. After all, she and Remy had work to do. There were more people that needed help, _their _help, and she was going to make sure they would get it. Come hell or high water.

The days and hours leading up to the impending exchange had been an absolute mess for her. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess of worry over Donny's safety, anxiousness over the new family she was about to take in, and apprehension over her brother's looming stay. Part of her was glad to have people in the secret room again since it would finally pull her thoughts away from the Basterd that constantly infiltrated her mind, but the other part was terrified that Kurt would show up at the worst possible moment. Klara wasn't sure how long her brother planned to stay for but she was going to have to be _very _careful while he was in France, otherwise it was going to be her head on the chopping block.

Klara walked into her kitchen to fill up a glass of water and then down it all quickly when her throat suddenly became unbearable dry.

It was treacherous to journey to the abandoned bar and she knew very well that if she was ever caught wandering the streets _this _late at night that she would either be shot on site or arrested without questioning; no one trusted anybody in these times and she was no exception, even if she was German _and_ a woman. So after taking a steadying breath and making sure her door was locked she headed for the window in her study, thinking it a much wiser decision to sneak out into the dark alley outside instead of waltzing out her front door. Klara slowly pushed the window up then peeked around the seemingly abandoned alleyway before silently crawling out and landing deftly on the crate below her window. She paused for a moment, listening out for any sounds or movement, and when she was satisfied that no one and nothing was moving around Klara hopped off the crate and headed towards the end of the alley, making sure to stay in the shadows as she turned right and then began making her way towards the bar.

It was also always disconcerting to walk the streets this late at night, especially when she was going to meet with Remy. Though the German soldiers patrolling the streets were usually more focused on the highways and more heavily populated areas of town, it was not uncommon to see a few straggling guards searching the quieter areas of the neighborhood out by the woods for any suspicious behavior. It was both a curse and blessing for her house to be so near the woods, since it allowed her easy access to the clearing but also required sneaking past German soldiers on a regular basis, but Klara simply made the best of the situation and tried her hardest _not _to make any stupid mistakes.

She crept along the sidewalk, slowly weaving in and out of errant objects littering the sidewalks as she went. She would pause every now and again whenever unexpected noises reached her ears only to continue on whenever she deemed it safe. After a nearly fifteen minute walk Klara spotted the old, dingy bar looming up ahead and quickened her pace, eager to arrive at her destination. There were a few people hanging around, most of them easily recognizable since she'd seen them wandering the square in drunken abandon many times before, but she didn't pay them much mind – they were always far too inebriated to ever be able to recognize her for a second time.

Memories from the attack came rushing back as Klara turned down the familiar alley and hurried up to the old door. The damage the old wood had sustained during the scuffle only a few nights before did not go unnoticed to her and she paused to frown at it angrily, clenching her fist. _The bastard received what was coming to him, _Klara reminded herself in an attempt to push away her mounting anger, _And tonight is not the night to lose your head._

She was focused so intently on reigning in her temper that the secret knock she was _supposed _to perform was forgotten – when Klara threw the door open rougher then was necessary, she was immediately forced to come to a quick halt as the barrel of gun rose to point right in between her eyes. The German threw her hands up in surrender as the heavy door swung shut behind her and eyed the metal weapon warily before turning a glare on the person wielding it – Remy. He was a very tall man, standing at least over half a foot taller then her and though he wasn't overly built his height made him look imposing. He held the gun on her for a split second before lowering it slowly and quirking an eyebrow at her.

"Damnit, Remy." Klara hissed at him in French, dropping her hands and moving further into the room. "You should know better then that by now."

"Well pardon me, but I believe we have a specific knock to be performed so I know there is no lunatic Nazi on the other side waiting to shoot me in the face." He countered back calmly. "You forgot to knock – how was I to know it was you?"

Knowing he was right but not wanting to admit to it, Klara shook her head with a sigh and crossed her arms as she paced towards the table that had been the stage for her attack. She shivered for a moment, remembering how angry the soldier had been and how cruelly he'd treated her, but felt her momentary anxiety ease when the memory of Donny's heroic intervention pushed to the forefront of her mind.

"This place has been compromised." She heard Remy say behind her. "If the door was not evidence enough then the state of this room certainly is." He added, appearing at her side before pointing to the large stain of dried blood that still remained on the ground. It was the only lingering evidence of what had taken place in the bar. "Someone might have been killed in here. We should move positions." Remy stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes, someone was killed here." Klara confirmed after a moment of hesitation. "But no, we do not need to move positions." She added, tearing her eyes away from the gruesome sight.

Remy looked down at her curiously for a moment before turning to her fully, using his gun as though it were a cane to prop himself up and cast a very stern look in her direction. "Do you have something you need to tell me?" He asked her demandingly.

Klara sighed and rubbed her forehead underneath the bill of her hat. There was no use lying to Remy, not when they were supposed to depend on one another. "I was on my way to see if you had left anymore messages for me. I was attacked." She explained slowly. "But someone came to my aid. That is the cause of this blood." She finished.

When she cast a look up at her comrade, the Frenchman did _not _look pleased with what she'd just told him. "Then now whoever helped you knows about this place and knows something is happening here, which means we are still compromised." Remy countered, speaking to her as though she was a young child that didn't understand what he was saying. "We need to find a new meeting place before – "

"Remy." Klara interjected firmly, making him cut his argument short. "Trust me when I say that it will not be an issue."

He stared down at her for a few seconds before tilting his head and narrowing his eyes at her. "Who knows we use this place, Klara?" He asked accusingly.

She turned her gaze away for a second before reluctantly meeting his displeased stare again. "One of the Basterds." She admitted. In an instant Remy had let out a heavy heave and turned his eyes to the sky, shaking his head in disbelief. "There is nothing to worry about." She went on to snap at him even though she wasn't overly shocked with his poor reaction.

"Nothing to worry about?" Remy echoed irritably. "Did we not agree that if we _ever _met the Basterds that we would not get involved? That it would be too dangerous for them," he ranted, pointing up towards the attic of the bar to let her know he was talking about the people they were helping out, "if we were mixed up with what the Basterds are doing? Damnit, Klara! You have put this entire operation at risk!"

"I have not!" Klara retorted, furrowing her brows at him angrily. "One of them helped me when I was being beaten and on the verge of being _raped_." Klara growled, pointing to her injured cheek for emphasis. The revelation made some of the anger diminish from Remy's face and he snapped his lips shut. "He knows not why I was coming here and the Basterds remain unaware of our _operation_, alright?"

Her argument seemed to have appeased Remy because he stared at her for a moment longer as though trying to determine if she were lying to him before nodding once, clearly dropping the subject. Truthfully she hadn't been _completely_ honest with him but she thought it best to leave out the part where she had agreed to exchange information with them for now – there was no time to argue with him any further when there were important matters to be seen to. Klara glanced at the large blood stain one last time before looking up above them towards the attic.

"How are they?" She inquired.

Remy pulled a face and shook his head, shifting his gun up to rest if over his shoulder. "The same as the others." He responded gruffly. "I hope you stocked up – they will need everything they can get."

"I did."

Remy took out a slightly worn handkerchief from his pocket and wiped at his forehead before sighing tiredly and tucking it back into his pocket. "So Landa and your brother?"

Klara nodded with a frown. "Unfortunately. Kurt will be here soon and he informed me that Landa would be along shortly after." She confirmed to him. "We will have to be more careful about these meetings when they arrive. For reasons unknown to me Landa holds some interest for me. And if I know Kurt half as well as I think I do, he will be beating down my door every chance that he gets."

Remy watched her with an unreadable expression for a long moment. "If you would rather not – "

Klara silenced him with a glare. "I swore I would do all I can to help – I would never go back on our arrangement, no matter the circumstances." She told him firmly, leaving no room for argument.

Remy nodded in understanding and an approving gleam entered his eye. "I know this well." He said proudly, grasping her shoulder for a second before slapping it with hard encouragement. Klara rubbed her shoulder with a grumble before following him up the stairs to the attic when he motioned for her to come with him.

It was easy to spot the refugees once they were standing up in the musty old attic – there were two grown women, two young girls, and a lone boy, and though the group had been standing huddled together in the corner they relaxed and took a few tentative steps towards them when she and Remy appeared. The sight of their thin frames and dirty clothes made the anger in Klara being to boil up again but she didn't outwardly show it, smiling warmly at them instead. Remy took a quick second to inform her that the family could not understand English or German, but that he had managed to find out through his broken Polish that the mother's name was Edith. Klara nodded her understanding then moved to greet Edith with an extended hand. For a long moment the Polish woman stared at her hand as though she'd never seen it but when she finally took Klara hand, she began shaking it eagerly with both of hers and saying something very quickly to her in the foreign language.

"I believe she said her family is highly grateful for what we are doing." Remy spoke up when Klara cast him a curious look. "And there may have been a mention of us being guardian angels." Remy added, looking to her with a proud smile.

She was flattered by the woman's kind words and turned to smile at her again, squeezing her hand. "Tell them they are safe with me and that I will make sure they get out of Europe as soon as possible." Klara requested of her comrade.

Remy did as she said, having to pause often to think of the right words, before finally finishing his sentence. When he did, Edith's eyes welled up with tears right before she pulled Klara into a tight hug. Klara returned the gesture, wheezing a bit as the woman's surpisingly strong grip knocked some of the wind out of her, and waved to the rest of the family that stood watching the exchange. One of the children shyly waved back.

"You should get going." Remy urged one Klara and Edith parted, switching back to French. She was not surprised to hear him say it – he had never liked to linger for too long.

Klara nodded and then motioned for the family to pick up their bags as she walked back to Remy's side. Once the family had their belongings collected Remy shifted his gun and turned to leave, calling out quick words to the family in broken-Polish. It wasn't hard to figure out what Remy had instructed them to do because in an instant they were crowding behind Klara and following them back down the stairs into the bar. Klara surpassed her comrade once they were on the bottom level and went to the door, pulling it open slowly and glancing out to the left before stepping out further to check the right.

"We are clear." She told Remy.

"Go – I will stand guard."

She didn't need to be told twice and quickly waved the Jewish family over. "Stay quiet." Klara instructed, placing a finger over her lips for emphasis. "Stay low." She added, crouching down. "And stay with me." She finished, pointing to them before pointing to herself. Despite the language barrier they all seemed to have received the message and nodded adamantly in understanding. Klara eyed them in approval for a second before turning to mock-salute Remy. "See you soon, friend."

"Yes you shall. Good luck." Remy said with a smirk as walked past her, gun at the ready.

Once he was outside he sank down onto his right knee just outside the door and pointed his gun towards the end of the alley, clearly on alert now. But he wouldn't be escorting them back to her house; he never did. She, Remy, and Dieter had all decided that the less personal information they knew about each other (such as where they lived or who they were involved with), the better. That way if any of them was ever to be caught then they could not be coerced into giving away information that would endanger anyone else – after all, one could not reveal secrets that they didn't know to begin with. So as was the usual routine, Remy would stand on guard until Klara and the escapees where out of his sight and then make himself scarce.

With Remy on guard, the family behind her, and her hand firmly wrapped around the handle of the handgun resting in her pocket, Klara began to lead the convoy through the dark and seemingly deserted streets.

As always, Klara thought her heart would leap into her throat at any given moment. She could hear the anxious breathing of the family behind her, feel the anxiety practically oozing off of them, and their tension was doing nothing to soothe the uneasiness already residing within her. Their surroundings seemed harmless enough but the constant worry that a Nazi soldier would jump out at them at any moment kept her on high alert. The anxiety she was feeling right then would have been enough to drive any person mad but Klara had to grit her teeth and muscle her way through it. The escaped family following her right then not only depended on her to get them to safety but had also laid their lives in _her _hands. She couldn't fail them – she _refused _to fail them.

Klara came to a screeching halt when the a loud clattering sound echoed out of the alleyway to their left. Klara whipped around with wide eyes when the youngest daughter let out a screech of fright, the unexpected sound having obviously taken her by surprise. But the girl was quickly silenced by her brother who clamped a hand over her mouth, looking around frightfully as the whole group pressed back against to the wall to put themselves further out of sight. Klara put a finger over her lips to remind them again to be silent before peeking anxiously into the alleyway. When a cat came darting out a second later she jumped in surprise before sighing in relief, rubbing her forehead tensely before motioning that it was safe to continue their journey.

Thankfully there were no more unexpected surprises for the rest of the journey and after what seemed like _hours_, her house came into view. Klara hurried her companions along and strode hastily towards the window, keeping a careful eye on the other end of the alley as she pushed it open. As soon as it was all the way up Klara turned and reached for the youngest girl, hoisting her up effortlessly into her arms before stepping up onto the crate and helping her through the window. With that the other family members quickly caught on and began helping each other up through the window, allowing Klara to step away and act as a guard.

Once the family was safely in her house she smiled in satisfaction and kicked the crate off to the side carelessly. The boy of the group seemed confused that she wasn't following them but didn't put up any form of argument as Klara shook her head and motioned for him to close the window. He followed her command, shutting the window, and she wasted no time to run to the front door and let herself in.

Klara found the family waiting for her in the study, eyeing their surroundings unsurely. "This way." She instructed, motioning for them to follow her.

They were right on her heels as she led them to the bookcase. Klara offered a reassuring smile before pushing the bookcase to the side and waving an arm forward to motion them to walk in. She trailed after them and couldn't help but to feel proud of herself when all five visibly relaxed.

"These are for you." She said, snatching up a few pieces of clothing and offering them to one of the children. "And there is food and water right here." She continued on even though they didn't understand her. When she pointed out the supplies everyone in the family immediately moved to grab some food, shooting her grateful and appreciative looks. "You are safe now." Klara finally finished with a proud smile.

Without hesitation each family member came up and wrapped her up in a tight hug, silently expressing to her how thankful they were. Klara decided to give them their space and let them settle in and waved before walking back out into the hallway – it warmed Klara's heart when she took one last look inside the room and saw that youngest girl made herself comfortable on the lone bed in the room with a happy look on her face as she devoured a few bites of bread. After calling out a quick goodnight, Klara then pushed the bookcase back into his usual place.

Now that the family was effectively concealed from sight, Klara leaned heavily against the wall with a long sigh. Relief coursed through her, both at the accomplishment of getting the family safely into her home and for having avoided trouble, and she smiled to herself before pulling off her hat to run a hand through her hair. _Another successful night, _she thought to herself before a wide yawn escaped. All of the tension and anxiety had definitely taken a toll on her and Klara suddenly found herself quite tired. She turned to the bookcase, resting a hand one of the shelves for a moment, before turning to head to her bedroom.

Klara flopped onto her bed, not bothering to get into her night things, and settled down to sleep. Things were going to be trickier from that moment on, that much was certain – Kurt could arrive at any moment which meant Klara was going to have to be on guard when he did. She had to make sure that her far-too-perceptive older brother remained blissfully unaware of what happened in her home, both concerning the family hiding in the secret room _and _the Basterd that she'd shared a bed with. Otherwise it would mean trouble for all of them.

It occurred to her before she drifted off to sleep that she should probably be more concerned at that moment then she actually was, but for once Klara couldn't bring herself to worry about her Nazi brother, what it would mean to be caught, or fret over whether Donny was still in one piece or not. Klara would worry about all of her mounting problems in the morning; she'd helped another family take a crucial step towards a better life that night. And that thought alone was enough to push out all of her troubles away and allow the German to fall asleep with a wide smile on her face.

**A/N: Review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I feel the love **

**Disclaimer: Own nothing!**

Nine days. It had been nine long, grueling days since she had last seen Donny and though Klara had been preoccupied with her visitors in the week that they'd been hiding behind in her secret room, she found that the longer the loud-mouthed American was away the more he invaded her thoughts. She was beginning to go mad thinking about all the different things that could have happened to him since they parted ways – maybe he was fine; then again maybe he was lying face down in a ditch somewhere. She'd taken to checking her around on her porch in hopes of finding another note written in his slightly messy scrawl but had come up empty handed with each search. It was disheartening, it was disconcerting, and it was finally enough to have her contemplating making a trip to the clearing one sunny, Wednesday afternoon.

Klara stood on her porch with her hands shoved into the pockets of her pants, glancing around and trying to decide if going to the forest was really a good idea or not. The pretty weather had sent multitudes of nearby residents into the streets, so Klara knew it wouldn't be easy to get to the clearing without being spotted. And since taking a risk like that when she wasn't even sure that Donny would be nearby seemed pretty foolish, she finally resigned to the fact that she'd have to go another day without The Bear Jew.

She finally trudged down the steps of her porch and instead of turning left once she hit the sidewalk to head to the alley (and eventually the forest), she turned right and headed in the direction of the cinema. Perhaps there was something interesting showing in Shoshanna's theater, or maybe even the woman needed help. Klara didn't mind either way – any distraction at that moment would be a welcome one.

Klara shook her head with a sardonic smile as she made her way along the crowded streets. What had happened to her? When had she let her life and thoughts become overrun with a man she barely even knew? Klara had always thought herself a sensible woman – someone who didn't get too caught up in emotions and didn't let their feelings weaken them. It wasn't as though she was made out of stone and ice, but she had just always felt that there were more important things that needed her attention. Then Donny had come into her life. The uncouth man had caught her completely by surprise, literally, and then somehow managed to begin worming his way under her skin – it frustrated her almost as much as it excited her.

The loud blaring of a horn drew her attention but when Klara looked over to see what the commotion was, her eyes went wide and she quickly hopped out of sight, pressing her back against the brick wall of a small alley she'd jumped into in a vain attempt to conceal herself from sight. She held her breath as the source of the commotion, the man that had quickly crossed the street and nearly gotten run over by the honking car, went walking past her hiding place at a brisk pace. Klara let out an enormous sigh of relief when he didn't spot her and cautiously stepped towards the entrance of the alley, eyeing his back as he continued on.

Emmerich. She hadn't seen or heard from him in a few days but she should have known he wouldn't give up that easily. He was currently heading in the direction of home and if the large bouquet of flowers in his arms was anything to judge by, he was still adamant as ever about winning her over. Klara sighed and poked her head out of the alleyway, watching the soldier near her house – she knew that she would have to get rid of Emmerich sooner or later; he was compromising her situation even further and the less she had to worry about, the better. But how? He'd made it clear he wouldn't be easily deterred, so how could she possibly get rid of him?

Donny's face flashed through her mind but she quickly forced it away, shaking her head to herself. She then watched Emmerich ascend her porch stairs then quickly slipped back out of her hiding place to head to Shoshanna's theater, trying to work out the best possible way of getting rid of Emmerich that _wouldn't _cause any problems.

* * *

Klara was busy cleaning more of the equipment in the small projector room when she felt the distinct sensation of being watched. Unsurprisingly, when Klara glanced towards Shoshanna the woman was eyeing her for what had to be the hundredth time that afternoon. The German turned her gaze away and wiped at an errant bead of sweat that trickled down her face, pulling a face when she felt some of the oil that had been on her hand stick to her cheek. She spared one more glance towards to Shoshanna then heaved, finally halting in her task.

"What?" She asked with raised brow, sitting back on her heels and staring at her friend with stern eyes.

Shoshanna looked taken aback for a moment before cocking her head to the side. "I was just wondering…does it bother you _that_ much?" Shoshanna questioned her curiously.

Klara was fairly sure she knew _exactly _what Shoshanna was talking about but decided to feign ignorance. She turned back to the equipment in her hands and started scrubbing away, skillfully avoiding her friend's stare. "What do you mean?" She asked innocently.

Shoshanna wasn't at all convinced by her charade – she crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at her. "You _never_ help me clean the projection room and you have barely said four words to me in the past hour." She stated matter-of-factly. "Something is on your mind and I think I know _exactly_ what."

Klara rolled her eyes and looked to her friend again, scrubbing the contraption forcefully. "And what would that be?"

"The fact that you have not seen the Basterd is eating you alive." Her friend retorted bluntly. She hardly was one to beat around the bush and Klara knew it well. "Do not even try to deny it, Klara."

Klara stared at her for a moment then shrugged, shifting her eyes downward. "I have not denied anything." She responded quietly. "But there is far too much going on for me to focus wholly on one thought these days, Shoshanna. Especially if that one thought is on a man I hardly know."

Her friend didn't look quite as suspicious but she still narrowed her eyes at her with a tiny smirk playing on the corner of her lips. "Yes, this is true – you are a busy woman." She conceded. "But the Basterd has not been far from the center of your thoughts, yes?"

Klara heaved and finally dropped the equipment in her hands, hauling herself up to her feet before irritably grabbing for a rag to wipe her hands clean. "What do you want me to say, Shoshanna?" She demanded to know. "That I am worried? That I think about all the things that might have happened to him this past week? Fine. I am worried. But I cannot let it rule my life – I have far too much to worry about as it is."

Shoshanna was quiet for a long moment while Klara bustled around the projector room, trying to look busy. "There is nothing wrong with being concerned for him." Shoshanna said gently. "Given the circumstances I would be more surprised if you were _not_ worried."

Klara looked at Shoshanna over her shoulder for a moment, mulling over her words, before smirking and shaking her head. Throughout the entirety of their friendship she and Shoshanna had never had a discussion that even remotely touched on the subject of their personal love lives – it just wasn't something that either had ever brought up to the other. "Since when do we discuss the men in our lives?" Klara asked in amusement.

"Since you finally got one." Shoshanna jabbed playfully. Klara laughed with her for a moment then shook her head as she sat down and started to clean one of the protective reel cases. "What do you think will become of you and Donny?" Shoshanna asked her curiously once they stopped laughing.

Klara paused and then let out a long sigh. "I have no idea." She admitted with a shrug. "To be completely honest, I have no expectations. I cannot even see life past the war, especially considering what Donny and I are involve d in. How can I put my faith in anything more then a bit of companionship in hard times?"

Shoshanna nodded slowly in understanding, offering a reassuring smile, then turned back to what she was doing.

* * *

They didn't speak about the subject any further after that and as soon as Shoshanna dubbed the projection room suitable, they moved into her office to share a few glasses of wine together. Klara stuck around for another hour or so but then decided to take her leave and make her way back towards her house before the sun set any further. Shoshanna saw her out and they hugged briefly before Klara headed back to her home, enjoying the last of the sun's rays as they warmed her face.

When she was about halfway to her house and had neared a side street that she knew would eventually lead to the clearing, the German woman hesitated. Now would be as good a time as any to go and check the clearing – it would be dark soon and by the time she reached the woods it'd be easy enough to slip in without drawing too much attention. Not to mention that it had been a while since she had been to the clearing anyway; for all she knew Dieter might have left something for her in the tree.

It only took another moment to come to a decision but just as Klara began to step in that direction, an all-too-familiar voice called out to her.

"Miss Bathurst! There you are!" A male voice called out in her native German, making her cringe and come to a screeching halt.

She knew exactly who that voice belonged to.

Why was this man always loitering about? Was he keeping tabs on her?

Forcing on a smile, Klara turned stiffly and nodded in greeting at Emmerich as he strode towards her quickly. There was an excited look on his face that she just couldn't find the energy to mimic. "Emmerich, good evening."

He beamed at her once he was in front of her and swept her hand up quickly to place a kiss on it while bowing to her in a crisp manner. "If I may be so bold, it has been entirely too long since I have been in the presence of your beauty, Miss Bathurst." He said, releasing her hand when she not-so-gently pulled it out of his. "And where may I ask do your feet take you this fine evening?"

Klara wanted to roll her eyes but resisted the urge to do so. Clearly, her trip to the clearing would have to be put on hold. She stuffed her hands back into her pants pockets to keep Emmerich from grabbing them again, just in case, and nodded her head in the direction of her house. "I was en route to my house, actually. I have had a very busy day and I am _quite_ tired." She stressed, hoping he would get the hint.

Emmerich frowned but nodded regardless. "Well, I am saddened you are obviously not keen on doing anything tonight, but I shall escort you to your home. It is the least that I can do."

Klara had a feeling she would not be able to convince him otherwise so she didn't even attempt to. Instead she turned and began to walk towards her home, huffing quietly as Emmerich kept pace with her and started chatting away in her ear. But the nearer they came to her home the more her annoyance started to fade and nervousness began to take its place. The thought of Emmerich possibly trying to gain access to her house while she was hiding Jews made her stomach flip uneasily. She knew that she'd have to keep him outside no matter what, because any unexpected noises or mishaps would end up being catastrophic for her; Emmerich may be infatuated with her but there wasn't a chance in hell that she could depend on him _not _to reveal her secret.

"When will you allow me to spoil you with another evening of pampering, Miss Bathurst?" He asked with a wide grin. "I thoroughly enjoy time in your presence and would very much like the opportunity to treat you to another night on the town."

"I am a very busy woman, Emmerich." Klara excused, trying to keep the bored tone out of her voice. "And I am afraid my time will only be further occupied soon. My brother should be arriving shortly and there is always much to be done when he is in town. I do not know when you and I shall be able to see each other again."

Emmerich looked a little discouraged for a moment but then shook his head and shrugged, plastering on another smile. "Then I will simply have to call on you every day and hope that you will have time to spend with me until then, Miss Bathurst." He said resolutely, moving to walk so close to her that his elbow brushed against hers.

Klara had no doubts that he would do just that. After all, it was more or less what he had been doing ever since she had met him. She took a step away to put a bit of space between them and quickened her pace, ready to get away from him. "Emmerich, do you not have other duties to attend to? Do you not have duties or missions?"

He smiled down at her and winked. "Of course, I do. But it does not take up nearly as much of my time as you would think it does." He explained quickly. "There is a special team that has been put together to prepare for the premiere in a few months and I am one of those involved." He added proudly. "When we are not working, I am free to do as I please."

"What premiere?" Klara asked curiously. She hadn't heard anything of this before.

"_Stolz der Nation_, of course." Emmerich said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Klara did remember hearing a rumor or two about it then and made a sound of acknowledgement. "Ah, yes. Now I believe I remember hearing something about it." She admitted. That was when she realized how close they were to her house and she quickened her pace even more, eager to get inside and get away from Emmerich.

"I am sure you have. Your brother and Landa will be in attendance, of course." Emmerich continued on. "As will I. Will I be honored with your presence that night? Surely family and friends will be allowed to attend." He suggested as she began to hurriedly climb her steps.

"We will have to see, Emmerich. I have not spoken with Kurt about this, though I am sure he will bring it up soon enough when he arrives." Klara said with a pinched smile. It fell as soon as she turned her back on him to begin fishing around in her pockets for the key to her house. What if he tried to come inside? What if the family was moving around her house, thinking it would be safe? She could feel Emmerich's eyes on her back and held her breath, her hands beginning to shake a bit as she finally unlocked the door. Instead of opening it, however, Klara kept a hand firmly on the knob and turned to face him with another fake smile. "Thank you for the escort, Emmerich. I am afraid I shall have to leave you here – I have grown _quite _tired.. We shall see each other another time, yes?"

Emmerich nodded once then reached into his pocket to produce a handkerchief. "I can agree to this, only there is one thing I must do before I go…" He trailed off. Then he brought the white cloth up to her cheek and wiped gently, his eyes intent on the task at hand. She quirked an eyebrow at him until a satisfied smile appeared on his face. He put his handkerchief away and before Klara could predict what he was going to do he ran one hand over her cheek slowly. "There, now all the oil is gone. Nice and clean."

In the next moment he began to lean in. Klara knew very well that he was aiming to give her a kiss and quickly opened the door, spewing out a quick goodbye as she ducked under his arm before hustling in and shutting the door right in his face. After a few moments Klara heard a muffled, confused "Goodnight" from the other side of her door and she leaned back against it, closing her eyes in relief at the sound of his retreating steps. She had evaded danger this time, but would she always be so lucky?

Klara shook her head, feeling bemused, and was just about to push away from the door when a hard knock sounded on the wood right behind her head. A quick shriek of surprise escaped her throat and she jumped away from the door, staring at it in surprise with a hand over her heart. Had Emmerich returned? When another knock sounded she finally moved forward slowly, placing a reluctant hand on the knob.

"Who is it?" Klara asked cautiously in English, refusing to open the door until she knew who it was.

"I'll give ya three guesses." A very familiar voice said from the other side.

At once her fear evaporated and her heart leapt into her throat. Klara yanked the door open and had to catch her breath for a second at the sight awaiting her. His clothes looked wrinkled and dirty, the stubble on his jaw and chin was even thicker then the last time she'd seen him, and he looked like he hadn't had a bath in a few days but just seeing him there on her doorstep alive and in one piece made her want to sing with joy.

"Donny." She said with a relieved smile.

A smirk flashed across his face and he cocked his head to the side, making his hair fall out of place and splay across his forehead. "Are ya gonna invite me in?"

Klara stepped to the side and let him walk in, not missing how his eyes stayed locked on hers as he brushed past. She closed the door behind him then locked it quickly, feeling his eyes on her back the whole time, and when she turned to face him he'd shoved his hands into his pockets and was simply standing there watching her. Suddenly, she had no idea what to do. Klara had been waiting for the moment that they'd be reunited but now that the moment was upon her she left clueless – should she hug him? Kiss him? Did he come for her or had he just come for information. Even worse, were they now supposed to pretend that their night together had never happened?

"Who was your friend?" He finally asked her to break the silence.

The question had been asked with an unreadable mask in place, but there was a hint of displeasure lingering in his eyes. "His name is Emmerich. And he is _not _my friend." Klara explained with a look of annoyance on her face.

"Ya sure? Looked awfully cozy." Donny commented idly with a shrug, turning his eyes to look away from her and glance around the room instead.

His demeanor caught her off guard – was he _jealous_? Klara shook her head and fought against the triumphant smile trying to work its way onto her lips. "Cozy on his part, perhaps. I cannot stand the sight of him yet he seems ignorant of the fact." Donny met her eyes again and this time he looked a bit more pleased. "I am glad you have returned safely." Klara said boldly.

"Me too." He said with a smirk. "Can't stay long, though – Lieutenant was pissed when it took me so long to get back last time. Don't really wanna push him right now." Donny explained, running a hand through his hair to push it back into its proper place.

Klara nodded, feeling a bit disappointed. "I see…Did you come for information, then?" She asked curiously, not sure exactly what the meaning of his visit was just then.

Donny nodded and shrugged at the same time. "That and…well, I came to see you." He admitted. "I told ya you'd be the first to know when I was back on this side of town. I'm a man of my word." He said matter-of-factly with a small smirk.

Klara couldn't stop the smile then and nodded. "That is good to know." She stated. "Would you like something to eat?" She offered.

"Sure." Donny agreed.

Klara walked past him with a shy smile and headed into her kitchen to try and scrounge up something for him. It made her feel better to know that part of his reason for visiting had been purely to see her, but at the same time she firmly reminded herself that she couldn't get too caught up in her emotions. Regardless of whatever might be blossoming between them, it didn't change the fact that she and Donny were from two very different parts of the world and involved in two equally dangerous missions. In the end, assuming they both survived the war, they'd both be headed back to their own parts of the world.

The though disturbed her, so she began speaking to distract herself from it. "The only new development I have heard is of a German movie premiere in a few months time. I was told Landa and – " Klara had to stop herself short. She'd almost given away the fact that her brother would be in attendance, which would surely raise some red flags. " – and many other officers will be in attendance." She covered quickly. "Perhaps this is something your troop may want to look into." Klara finished, busying herself by making a sandwich for him.

She heard Donny come up behind her a moment or two before she felt his hands on her waist. He seemed a little hesitant at first but then held her more securely to his chest when she leaned back into him. For a brief second she felt his lips on the back of her neck, then he spoke. "I thought about you...a _lot_." Donny admitted, ignoring the information she'd just relayed to him and focusing instead on pressing a line of kisses along her shoulder.

The embrace felt very intimate and it made Klara's heart pound hard in her chest.

"And I you." She responded, releasing the food in her hands to rest them on top of his. "I…I worried for you." Klara then admitted.

She heard him chuckle a bit before he turned her to face him. "Worried about the Jew from Boston, eh?" He asked her, cocking his head to the side as he studied her. "Who woulda thought…"

Klara shook her head with a quick laugh then slowly reached up to run her fingertips over his jaw. He made no move to stop her and for a brief moment his eyes flickered closed. Then closed he wrapped a hand into her hair and pulled her into a long kiss, locking his lips firmly on her. Klara made a sound of approval against his lips and tightened her arms around his neck as he held her to him. They didn't break the kiss until they both urgently needed air..

"That is _quite_ a nice payment for information, Donny." She teased him lightly.

He smirked down at her, gave her another kiss, then pulled away from her completely. "Hate to sound rude but I'm starved." He said before reaching around her to grab the sandwich she'd made. He scarfed down half of it in what seemed like seconds then offered the other half to her.

"No, thank you. I already ate." She said, shaking her head.

"Bullshit. Ya look like ya haven't eaten in days." Donny said with a frown. "Get some meat on ya bones, woman." He berated sternly before offering her the sandwich again.

Klara had to admit that the stress of the past two weeks had been getting to her and she _hadn't_ been eating quite as much as she should have. But now, seeing Donny and knowing he was alive, she suddenly forgot all of the other problems plaguing her and felt in much brighter spirits – in the next moment her stomach growled to rudely remind her that it needed to be fed to remain happy, causing Donny to quirk an eyebrow at her. "Fine." She finally conceded, accepting the sandwich he was holding up to her and taking a large bite. "Happy?" She asked through a mouthful of food.

"Yep." Donny said before tearing the rest of the sandwich in half and forcing her portion into her hands. "As much as I don't wanna, I have to go, blondie." He said, shoving the rest of his food into his mouth. "Lieutenant doesn't trust me one bit right now and left Stiglitz on guard in case I decided to, uh…_extend my stay_." Donny continued. The suggestion in his tone was not missed and a blush tinged her cheeks for a moment. "We'll be around for a while this time. Got business to take care of around here. I'm sure I'll see ya sometime soon."

"Alright." She responded, moving around him so that she could show him to the door. He was right on her heels the whole way but before she could open the door, he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Get rid'a the Nazi unless ya want him to die sooner rather then later." Donny warned in her ear.

Klara laughed, knowing full well that Donny would have been glad to take Emmerich out whether he was pestering her or not. "That might not be so bad…" She responded, glancing at him over her shoulder with a smirk.

Donny grinned for a quick moment then released his hold on her waist to step around her and open the door. He hesitated for a moment, facing her again so his eyes could roam over her features, then swooped in to give her one last kiss. "Stay outta trouble, alright?" He instructed once he was backing out of the door.

"Alright." Klara agreed. "Be safe, Donny." She added.

"Ya got it."

Then he was stepping out of her house completely. He only offered up one last wink before shutting the door behind him and disappearing into the night.

**A/N: Review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Do you hate me for waiting so long? I'm sorry!**

**Life was so hectic, but my motivation has come back so hopefully I can keep up with this story more! Sorry about the wait, but hopefully it was worth it!**

**Enjoy!**

"What's ya favorite color?" Donny questioned.

It had been two days since the last time she'd seen him, but when Donny had shown up (a bit unexpectedly) on her doorstep, Klara had been more then happy to let him into her home. He'd looked tired and dirty, as usual, and for the past thirty minutes had been lounging comfortable on her couch, content to just relax and watch her as she moved about the living room cleaning everything in sight. It was her end of the week ritual but having The Bear Jew present made the task much more enjoyable then usual.

"Green." Klara answered with a smile, gesturing to the sage-green pillow resting under his head.

He lifted his head to inspect it for a moment before nodding, lying back down, and narrowing his eyes at her in a studious manner. "And ya favorite time'a year?"

Klara laughed and shook her head, amused with his obvious prodding. "Summertime."

"And if ya could go anywhere, anywhere at all in the world, where would ya go?"

She finally came to a halt in front of him and placed her hands on her hips, staring down at him with a quirked brow. "Is there a reason for your prying, sir?" She asked him. "You must have asked at least a hundred questions since the moment you arrived and yet you still seem to find more. Is there something I should know of?"

"No." He said a little defensively. "Ya wanted to know more 'bout me. Maybe I just wanna know more 'bout _you._" He continued, sitting up and meeting her stare pointedly. "Got a problem with that?"

Anyone else might have been offended by his tone but Klara only smiled, feeling flattered, and reached down to smooth some of his hair back. His gaze didn't leave hers and she smiled wider when she noted that his shoulders seemed to relax further at her touch. "Of course not." She responded, finally pulling her hand away from him to resume cleaning. "But if you are going to badger me to death, you could at least get off your _arsch_ and help me clean." She tossed over her shoulder with a smirk.

Klara only made it a few steps before Donny was hauling himself off the couch and grabbing her by the waist. "Ya know, your curse words sound way worse in German..." Donny grumbled in her ear before pressing a kiss just below it.

"They are meant to." Klara responded, dutifully trying to ignore the butterflies that erupted in her stomach at the gesture. "Now get to cleaning."

"And here I thought I could get a little rest, but noooo…" Donny chided, releasing her waist so he could snatch up a rag. Then he headed towards the bookcase, seemingly with the intention to clean the shelves.

Klara knew that Donny would only ever praise her for helping out his people but the sight of him so close to the secret room still scared her and made her heart leap into her throat. It was the reaction she always had whenever someone other then herself was near the hiding place. Then she thought about the fact that the family couldn't understand the conversation she and Donny were having and, therefore, had no idea who was standing only feet away. They were probably scared and anxious and Klara suddenly felt extremely guilty for having caused them any possible discomfort.

"Lieutenant isn't so pissed with me anymore." Donny commented conversationally as he paused to flip through one of her books, snapping her out of her thoughts and drawing her attention again. "I think he's startin' to come around. I may even be able to get away for longer periods of time…and unattended." He added with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Klara smiled and went to join him at the bookcase. "And how did you gain his trust back?" She questioned.

Donny smirked widely and pulled at a chain underneath his shirt and jacket before dangling a piece of silver proudly in front of her face. Klara reached forward to grab the new German dog-tag adorning his neck and quickly read the name.

"Holger Weiss." She read aloud. "Another officer, I presume?"

Donny nodded and tucked the dog-tag back underneath his shirt. "Lieutenant was a bit more willing to listen once I showed him that."

Klara nodded and then sighed, shooting him a regretful look. "I am glad that you will be able to visit more often but I must warn you of something." She began to explain. "My brother will be coming to visit soon, though I am not entirely sure when – we will have to plan our meetings _very_ carefully."

Donny immediately frowned down at her. "I take it you and ya brother don't see some things eye to eye then…"

Klara cringed and then slowly shook her head. "We do not." She confirmed. "If he knew about you…"

She didn't need to finish the statement for him to understand what she was getting at. Donny nodded at her with furrowed brows, obviously displeased with what she'd told him, before turning to resume wiping down the shelves. Klara frowned, staring at his tense back for a moment, before closing the gap between them and wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. He was stiff under her touch at first but relaxed when she pressed her cheek against his shoulder and squeezed her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Are you angry?" She asked him quietly.

"No." He responded immediately. The gruffness in his voice said otherwise though.

"Donny…"

"I'm fine." He said, moving a book roughly out of the way. "Kinda used to things being complicated by now." Klara sighed and slowly released him, deciding to give him his space, but before she could move away he turned and wrapped a hand around her arm to keep her in place. "Hey..." Donny started with a bit of a guilty gleam in his eye. "Didn't mean to ruin the mood. I guess…I guess I just like being here and don't want somethin' to ruin it. I feel…_normal_ when I'm here." He explained, now looking a little uncomfortable with his own confession as he ran his free hand through his hair

Klara knew exactly how Donny felt, because it was how _she _felt as well. When they were here, together, she wasn't the only sister of a decorated Nazi hero who spent her nights helping Jewish families escape Europe and Donny wasn't a bat-wielding Nazi hunter – they were just two normal people tucked safely away from the chaotic world outside of their temporary haven.

"I understand completely." Klara agreed, sliding her arm out of his grasp so she could lace her fingers with his instead. "Perhaps someday, when Hitler is dead and the war is over, we will be able to find _real _normalcy again." She said encouragingly. "But until then, you are welcome to seek it out here in my home."

Donny didn't say anything in return, simply wrapped a hand around the back of her neck to pull her in for a long kiss. Where most of their previous kisses had derived from lust and desire, this one was vastly different. It was slow, almost tender, and Klara could easily pick up on the vulnerability that he was valiantly trying to conceal. When he pulled away he flashed her a rare, genuine smile and she knew right in that moment that something significant had shifted between the two of them.

Before she could comment on it, however, a tap on the study window drew their attention. "Omar." Donny said with a frown, glaring in the direction of the noise for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "Gotta go

"Of course." Klara said with a nod. They met each other halfway to share another kiss before Donny pulled away to begin gathering up his things. "Come by whenever you like." She informed him with a smile. "If my brother is here then I will put this plant," she continued, grabbing the nearest flowerpot, "in my window."

"And if he decides to turn up while I'm already around?" Donny asked with raised eyebrows, slinging his gun over his shoulder as he came to stand in front of her again.

"Do not worry – I can handle that." Klara reassured him.

Donny quirked an eyebrow at her before wagging a finger and smirking. "Ya scare me sometimes, blondie." He admitted.

She laughed and kissed his cheek before pushing him towards her door. "Go now, before you get into trouble again."

"Yes ma'am." Donny said with a quick salute.

"And what would your men say to that salute?" Klara teased as he started to open the door.

"Like I give a shit." He said with a snort, making her snicker to herself. She heard his comrade outside hiss at him to 'hurry the hell up', but Donny simply smirked at her and flashed her a wink. "See ya soon."

"Goodnight. Be safe." She said before he was slipping out the door and shutting it behind him.

As soon as he was gone Klara immediately walked over and locked the door, making sure her curtains were still closed tightly and that all of the entrances to her house were firmly locked. Then she headed over to the bookcase and pushed the furniture out of the way to make sure her guests were doing alright. Her guilty from earlier returned when she spotted the family practically cowering in the corner – they'd obviously been petrified the entire time that Donny had been there.

"Do not worry." She instructed, moving into the small room. "There is nothing to be afraid of." She then explained. "Is everyone alright?"

After a few unsure glances at one another the mother nodded slowly, seemingly understanding what Klara was asking. The German then spent the next five minutes trying to convey to them that the visitor had been a friend, not a foe, and once she was sure that they understood what she was saying, Klara gathered up some food so that all of them could enjoy a dinner together. The family relaxed once they realized they weren't in harms way and settled in around her comfortably, looking pleased that she was joining them for their meal.

Communication was slow between them, but they managed to hold conversation as long as they spoke slow and used lots of hand gestures. All the while, Klara couldn't help but mull over her own thoughts and worries – the family felt safe knowing that neither she or Donny would turn them in or hurt them, but how would they feel if she were to tell them of her Jew hunting brother or even her S.S. suitor? They'd think she had ulterior motives, thing she was a liar, and never trust her again.

Then there was Donny. Things were changing between them, that much she was convinced of, and it was as exciting as it was terrifying. Would they become something more? Was all of this going to be much more serious then she'd originally thought? And when the time came to tell him about Kurt, which she knew she'd have to do, what was going to be his reaction?

Klara sighed to herself before finishing her meal and bidding the family goodnight, desperately needing time to herself in order to sort out her thoughts.

She didn't when things had gotten so unbelievably complicated but one thing was for certain – everything was going to be much trickier, and riskier, from here on out.

* * *

_BANG, BANG, BANG!_

Klara was startled out of her sleep at the loud, insistent banging that sounded on her door two mornings later. The abruptness at which she awoke left her a little disoriented for a moment and she glanced towards the window in confusion. She couldn't yet tell what time of day it was, but judging by the bright sun pouring through her window she had definitely overslept after a long night of making her rounds to deliver messages to both Dieter and Remy.

The return of the loud knocking shocked her out of her thoughts and, in a flash, she was jumping out of bed. When a male voice began to call out from the front of the house in German, however, Klara's heart plummeted to her stomach.

"Open the door at once! Do not make us use force!"

This was it. The very thing she'd been both dreading and preparing herself for had happened – someone had found out what she was doing and now she was going to be arrested then most likely executed.

Klara looked around her room wildly before throwing on the nearest clothing she could find, shaking like a leaf as the determined yelling continued outside. For one brief second she considered escaping through the window, but when the faced of the helpless family flashed through her mind she knew she'd never be able to abandon them in such a way. Klara stood rooted to the spot for a long moment, thinking of how horribly she'd failed the family and how sorry she was going to be to leave Donny behind, before finally squaring her shoulders and venturing out to face her would-be captors.

When she jerked the door open however, ready to face whatever wrath awaited her, she was stunned to see who waited on the other side.

"You are a _bastard_!" She cursed in German immediately, swatting at the blonde haired man in front of her.

Kurt Bathurst immediately began chuckling to himself gleefully, trying to avoid the hits she attempted to land on him, before pulling her into a tight hug. Klara smiled in spite of herself and returned the hug her brother was giving her – Kurt may have a taken a turn for the worst upon joining the Nazi regime, but Klara knew that deep down there was a small part of her that would always hold onto the hope that her brother could change his ways, no matter how foolish the notion may be. She didn't want to fully believe he was a lost cause just yet.

"Why are you so frightened?" Kurt asked her as he barged into her living room without asking.

"How would you like to be awoken by the sounds of an angry Nazi on the other side of your door?" She jabbed at him, happy to close the door on the two S.S. soldiers loitering around on her porch. While Kurt surveyed her living room, she grabbed the small flowerpot she'd shown Donny the last time she'd seen him and placed it in the window.

"I would not be worried. Why, have you been doing something to rouse the wrath of an angry German?" Kurt asked with a smug grin, tossing himself carelessly onto her couch.

"Do not be silly." Klara lied with a broad smile. _If only he knew._ "I was wondering when you would finally arrive – tell me, brother, how are you faring?"

Kurt waved his hand around dismissively. "Oh, Hans has had me running about everywhere in France." He informed her with a long sigh. "I have been working so tirelessly these past few weeks I was beginning to question if I would even be able to visit at all."

Klara took the seat next to him and frowned in confusion. "You are only visiting for a short while?"

Kurt nodded regretfully. "Yes. We have more business to attend to in Germany, but we shall be back in time for the premiere." Then he paused and raised his eyebrows at her questioningly. "You _will_ be attending the premiere with me, will you not?"

"And if I do not?"

He glowered at her for a moment, albeit teasingly so. "I shall have to have you arrested for being a _horrible_ sister."

"I shall attend then."

Kurt smiled approvingly before patting her knee. "I only have a week here before the Standartenführer is expecting me in Berlin. I will not be able to spend every moment with you but I shall certainly try…I have missed my sister greatly."

This was the Kurt that Klara had desperately hoped still lingered – the nice, playful, enjoyable Kurt. "Shall our adventures begin then? Perhaps a visit to our grandparents is in order?"

Kurt pulled a face for a moment but agreed anyway and within twenty minutes, they were en route to visit some of their only remaining family.

Klara was ecstatic to hear that Landa was not only _not_ going to be joining Kurt on any of his visits, but also that he wasn't even in France at the moment – it was a huge comfort to know that the Jew Hunter was nowhere nearby while she was partaking in the exact treason he had been hired to put an end to. There was no doubt in her mind that she could handle Kurt, but Standartenführer Hans Landa was a completely different story. He may not suspect her now, but she knew that if he were to spend a day in her house that she would be in prison or executed the very same night. His skills were far too great and her nervousness would be a dead giveaway.

Her day with Kurt went surprisingly well. They explored France, took care of some errands, and even enjoyed a nice (and fairly expensive) dinner together. Once they'd decided to wrap up their adventures for the day Kurt opted to show her back to her home before continuing on to the military base he'd been ordered to stay at. But just as their car stopped in front of her home and Kurt was turning to help her out, another vehicle came to a halt behind theirs, gathering their attention.

"Expecting company?" Kurt asked with raised eyebrows, eyeing the all-too-familiar German currently exiting the car behind them.

"No, but that does not deter him." She answered in annoyance, taking her brother's hand and allowing him to help her out of the car.

When Kurt caught sight of Emmerich, who was practically bouncing over towards them in his excitement, he immediately stood a bit taller.

"Miss Bathurst." Emmerich greeted, acknowledging her for a quick moment before hastily saluting her brother. "And if I am not mistaken, you are the one and only Kurt Bathurst." He said, earning himself a quick nod from Kurt. "It is an honor to meet you, sir."

Kurt saluted him, casting a quick, amused smirk at Klara, then shook Emmerich's hand when the younger soldier began shaking his enthusiastically. "Emmerich, was it?"

"Yes, sir. I am a friend of your sister's. I have been anxiously awaiting your arrival so I may be presented with the chance to make your acquaintance." Emmerich managed out excitedly.

Klara felt nauseous as she watched the exchange, practically able to see the wheels turning in her brother's head, and decided to escape into her home before Kurt got any brilliant ideas. She needed to get away from the two of them as quickly as she could, knowing all-too-well that Kurt would begin pressing her to accept Emmerich's courting as soon as he learned of it.

"Klara?" She cringed and came to a screeching halt, slowly turning to face Kurt and Emmerich again. "Why do you leave when you have company?" Kurt asked her sternly, obviously displeased with her decision to leave.

"It would appear that Unterscharführer Haugg's visit has nothing to do with me." She said with a sweet smile. "And seeing as I have duties to attend to tomorrow, brother, I feel it wise to get some rest." Kurt opened his mouth to protest but she quickly spoke up to cut him off. "Emmerich," she said, turning her attention to the soldier, "will you not introduce my dearest brother to the after-dinner endeavors of the French?"

"It would be an honor, if your brother would allow." Emmerich said quickly, looking absolutely beside himself with delight.

"Of course, I am in need of a strong drink." Her brother agreed before turning his attention back towards her. Kurt walked up a few steps until he was eye-level with Klara then pegged her with a stern stare. "We shall speak about Emmerich tomorrow when I take you to lunch." He instructed lowly, leaving no room for argument.

"Yes, brother." Klara agreed, knowing better then to argue with him. "Have a good night, gentlemen." She said, bowing her head down to them before turning to enter her house.

Once she was inside she could hear them speaking on the other side of the door for a few moments before the sound of doors opening and closing sounded in the air. Then she shook her head to herself and went to peer out the window, unsure if she was relieved or not when the car carrying them pulled away and, eventually, disappeared.

This could end up being disastrous.

Why did Emmerich choose tonight of all night to show up? Had he known her brother was in town? She knew without a doubt that if Kurt began to press her to be with Emmerich that things would become even more complicated then they already were. Klara could try to stand up to Kurt and refuse to follow his commands but that was usually much easier said then done – Kurt wasn't used to the word 'no' and, brother or not, when he wanted something done it was usually seen through. He'd been trying to find her a 'suitable' husband for years; Emmerich, she knew, would fit Kurt's requirements perfectly.

Klara shut the curtains roughly and then headed for the bedroom, frowning to herself all the way.

It was out of her hands for now. Now all she could do was pray that, by some miracle of God, Emmerich _wouldn't _make a good impression on her brother.

**Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Glad to see everyone is still hanging in there! **

**The last chapter was kinda crummy, but it'll get better, I promise! Now the good stuff is happening! Woot!**

**Enjoy!**

Klara awoke early the next morning and wasted no time getting ready for the day. She had no idea when Kurt would be returning to take her to lunch but wanted to make sure that everything was in order before it was too late. As soon as she was dressed she made her way to the bookcase in her living room and pushed it to the side, stepping in quickly and flipping on a light in the corner. The family staying with her had been fast asleep but slowly began to rouse at her abrupt appearance. Klara moved over to Edith, who looked mildly alarmed, but quickly shook her head and motioned for her to stay calm.

"You. Stay. Quiet." Klara said gently, using her hands to emphasis what she was saying. "It is _very _important." Edith seemed to understand what Klara was telling her and nodded. "And do _not_, under _any _circumstances, leave this room until I say so." Klara continued on slowly. Edith's alarm level grew again but Klara waved her hands to cut her off when she began speaking rapidly. "Relax. It is only precautionary. Everything will be alright if you do as I say."

Once Edith agreed, Klara left again to do an extensive sweep of the house and make sure there were no remnants of the recent visits she'd had with Donny. Some of her apprehension dissipated once she was satisfied that there was no evidence of what had been happening in her home. Finally she reached into the cabinet drawer and produced the picture of her, Landa, and Kurt before placing in plain view on her coffee table.

_Everything will be fine_, Klara thought reassuringly to herself. _Nothing will go wrong. You will make it through this._

When Kurt appeared on Klara's doorstep just after eleven o'clock to take her to lunch, she could tell from the grin plastered on his handsome face that his night with Emmerich had gone entirely too well, just as she'd feared. She returned the smile, albeit half-heartedly so, and quickly closed and locked the door behind her before Kurt could have the chance to go inside.

"Alright." Klara said as she turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Speak your mind, brother."

Kurt grinned at her for a moment longer before taking her hand and placing it in the crook of his elbow to escort her down the porch to the waiting car. "I think Emmerich would be a very good match for you." He said plainly.

Klara couldn't stop the roll of her eyes as he helped her into the car. "I thought you might." She confessed once Kurt had joined her in the vehicle. "But he is a pest to the highest degree – I refuse."

When Kurt turned his gaze on her he stared at her with an unreadable expression that made her feel a little uncomfortable. He sternly instructed the driver to take them to a café she knew to be located near the military base before addressing her again. "Klara, you are nearing twenty five and you do not yet have a husband, nor any in the making. It is time for you to settle down and Emmerich is a fine soldier with high ambition. I insist you accept his advances."

"No." Klara said simply.

"This is not a mere suggestion, Klara." Kurt said sharply, surprising her with the ferocity of his tone. She looked at him with wide eyes, noting that the expression on his face was all business and that he was not about to be denied. "This is an _order_. How do you think it looks on my part that my only sister, the sister of a widely known officer, has not only _fled_ from Germany but is also unmarried?"

This was what had been scaring her about her brother ever since their parents had passed away – he cherished her as a sister and as one of his only remaining family members, but in an instant he could easily forget that she was one of the few people he had left and would gladly turn on her if it meant that his demands and wishes would be met. And though his words just now would have been enough to anger her and bring forth and argument between the two of them on any other day, his demeanor right then let her know that she needed to choose her words carefully.

"Kurt, brother…" She started gently, "I did not _flee_ Germany. You know this."

Kurt didn't even bat an eye and the hard look remained etched into his features. "Of course, but others do not."

"And you would choose the opinions of others over the happiness of your flesh and blood?" Klara asked him a bit more snippily then she'd intended, her emotions getting the better of her.

Kurt only smirked and grabbed her roughly by the arm, yanking her towards him. "You _will _be with Emmerich." He instructed icily. "And you _will _marry him. Even if I have to drag you to the alter _myself_."

Then he shoved her away and Klara had to blink back tears as she was slammed _hard_ against the door of the car. The driver never once did anything to interfere with what had transpired between Klara and her brother, who seemed unremorseful for how he'd treated her, and she was not at all surprised to see Emmerich waiting for them when they arrived at the café some ten minutes later. Kurt eyed her sternly for another moment before plastering on a fake grin as he stepped out of the car – she had no choice but to slip her hand into his when he reached down to help her from the vehicle and Klara had to do her best not to wince when he squeezed her fingers in a vice grip.

"Klara, Kurt, I am so happy to see the both of you." Emmerich greeted enthusiastically, blissfully unaware of the tension that lingered between the two siblings.

"Emmerich, good afternoon." Kurt greeted suavely.

Then, as Klara nodded to Emmerich politely, Kurt passed her hand over until it was resting within Emmerich's grasp.

She knew that she would have bruises where Kurt had grabbed her and form hitting the door, but neither injury could compare to the pain that she felt emotionally as soon as Kurt had made that one subtle movement. In that moment he had given her away to Emmerich, and without so much as a care to what she wanted. Klara knew then that any part of the brother she had once known and loved was gone forever – Kurt was a cruel, unforgiving stranger. He was dangerous and she knew she needed to escape him. She just didn't know how.

Her mind raced chaotically throughout the entire lunch and she didn't even bother trying to participate in the conversation taking place. What would happen now? Would Kurt force her to marry Emmerich and then have her carted back to Germany? The thought of it made her want to scream and cry and run for the hills all at the same time and it was all of her self-control to hide the torrent of emotions raging within her. Leaving France would not only mean leaving behind everything that she'd built over the past year, but also Donny.

Klara almost lost it again when his face flashed through her mind. He would never understand or forgive her if he were to find out she'd left both him and France to go back to Germany with her Nazi husband. He'd hate her and if they ever met again, he'd probably kill her.

She needed a way out. And desperately.

* * *

Three nights later, after playing host to both Kurt and Emmerich for the past two days, she was relieved to receive a note from Kurt that informed her he would not be able to visit her that night. She had been very careful around the both of them, not wanting to encourage Emmerich while also trying to hold her ground against her brother the best that she could, but she didn't know how long she could keep up her struggle. She was afraid, _terrified _really. How much longer could she stand up to Kurt before he would become so frustrated with her that he resorted to more violence? And how badly would he hurt her the next time around?

When it was very late in the night, Klara slipped out of the study window and headed in the direction of the clearing with a new note for Dieter clutched in her hand. Someone on her side needed to know what Kurt was trying to do and she felt that now, more then ever, would be the time to get the family to safety.

Walking the streets again and heading to the clearing was quickly making her feel more and more like herself then she had for the past three days while dealing with Kurt and Emmerich. She relished at the feel of the cool night air on her face and the familiar adrenaline pumping through her veins, and suddenly found herself hoping that she might run into Donny at the clearing. It had been days since she'd seen him (because her flower pot had constantly been in her window to warn him away) and truth be told, she missedhim desperately.

The same questions that had been circling her mind the past few days raced through her thoughts again – should she tell him about Kurt and his plans for her and Emmerich? Should she finally come clean about her secret mission? She had always known that the truth, both about her and her brother, would come out in due time but now the situation had become much more serious then it had been previously. Her hope was that Donny would have advice for her, or maybe a solution…assuming he didn't bash her head in for having a brother that was the right hand man of Standartenführer Hans Landa.

Klara reached the clearing in no time and did a quick sweep of the area, feeling disappointed when there was no hint of anyone else's presence. She frowned for a moment before sneaking towards the tree to feel around in the hole used for messages. For a brief second she was excited to feel a note waiting for her, thinking it might be from Donny, but then frowned again when she realized it was the note she'd left for Dieter the night before Kurt had arrived.

Fear shot through her – why hadn't he come to check on the family yet? What if he was hurt? What if he'd been caught?

"Kinda chilly out here, don't ya think?" A voice asked suddenly, yanking her from her troublesome thoughts.

Klara whipped around in surprise and pressed her back against the tree. The voice wasn't one that she recognized, nor was the accent, and she quickly began devising a way to escape this stranger without getting herself shot. But then it registered in her mind that the voice had spoken in perfect English and did not have a European accent of any kind. Perhaps, she found herself praying, he was one of the Basterds.

"Who is there? Show yourself." She said firmly, straightening up a bit.

"Ya sure are German, ain't ya?" The man asked with a slight chuckle before stepping out from behind a tree and coming into view some seven feet away to her left. "If I'm assumin' correct, yer Klara."

Klara studied the mysterious man for a moment, noting the mustache on his lips and the hat sitting crookedly atop his hair. He was wearing dirty looking military clothes that reminded her of Donny's usual garb and had a large knife strapped to his hip. When the moonlight broke through the trees, illuminating the clearing, Klara spotted a large scar stretching across the skin of his neck. She knew in an instant exactly who she was speaking to.

"Aldo the Apache."

He nodded once, staring at her for a moment before walking towards her slowly. "So _yer _the woman keepin' ol' Donowitz up at night..." He commented idly, letting his gaze trail over her form. She stood with her chin jutted up as he walked a circle around her before coming to a halt directly in front of her. She was intimidated by him but refused to show it. "I can see why." He said before holding out a hand and surprising her with a pleasant smile. "Aldo." He introduced.

Klara regarded his hand for a moment before sliding her hand into his and shaking it slowly. "Klara."

"Are ya afraid of me, Klara?" Aldo asked her, cocking his head to the side as he rested his hands on his hips.

"No." She said, though it wasn't entirely true.

"Surprising. Most Germans are."

"I am not surprised to hear this." Klara said with a smirk before watching as Aldo reached for the notes in her hand. "Information for a friend." She said simply, handing them over to him without argument.

"Yeah, I know. Donny brings 'em to me whenever a new one pops up." Aldo said without looking at her, unfolding the letters to read them. "Though half the time they don't make a lick'a sense." He added with a smirk. "Kinda like this one…" He commented, holding up the note informing Dieter of what Kurt's attempts to force Emmerich on her.

"If it is anything of concern to you, I tell Donny." Klara said quickly. The last thing she wanted to do just then was have a lengthy conversation with Aldo the Apache about the fact that her Nazi brother was trying force her into marriage with a fellow Nazi. Aldo would probably cut her throat right then and there. "Is he here?" She asked hopefully, searching around in the surrounding darkness again.

"Actually, I just saw him off to go see you." Aldo informed her as he folded up the note and reach up to place it in the tree's nook.

Klara couldn't help but feel excited at this news and nodded. "May I take my leave then? I would very much like to see him."

"Sure. But one more thing before ya go…" Aldo said, rubbing his mustache thoughtfully. "Donny's the best I got. And since he trusts ya so much I'm willin' to trust ya, too." Then his expression turned very serious and almost made her want to squirm. "But if anything happens to him or any of my men because of you, anything at all…by God woman I will break every bone in yer German body before I kill you myself."

Klara blinked at him in surprise before nodding slowly. "Understood."

Aldo then smiled brightly in a way that contradicted his frightening threat, and nodded. "Good. Now go."

She took a few steps away from him, happy to put space between them, before pausing and turning to face him once more. "Aldo." She started, gathering his attention once more. "May I keep Donny with me until morning? I have something very serious to discuss with him."

Aldo frowned and quirked an eyebrow at her. "Will I hear of this _serious discussion_?"

"I assume yes."

He heaved, not looking all that happy with her request, before nodding. "Fine. Tell him to be back at dawn."

"Thank you." Klara said before rushing off.

She could hardly keep herself from running back to her home knowing Donny was waiting for her there. She had no idea how he would take the news of her brother and Emmerich, or if she was about to sign her death certificate in her own blood for unveiling the truth, but she couldn't afford to delay anymore. And there was no better time to tell him then right then.

As soon as she turned onto the alley by her house, Klara spotted Donny standing on the corner and looking a bit confused. She smiled to herself as he scratched his head and peaked around the corner, obviously looking for her, before heading towards him.

"Donny!" She hissed.

He jumped about a mile in the air before turning to her with wide eyes. Once he realized it was her though he smiled and relaxed, coming to meet her halfway. "What are ya doing out here, blondie?" He asked her quietly.

Klara just smiled once she reached him and pulled him into a quick kiss that he happily responded to. "I went to the clearing to leave a message." She explained, pulling away from him to move the crate back into place underneath her window. "Oh…I met Aldo, by the way." She added off-handedly as she stepped up onto the crate and pushed the window up to sneak back inside.

"What?" Donny asked in surprise. "You met Aldo? What happened? Are you alright?" He questioned, sounding highly disconcerted by the idea of her running into his commanding officer.

"Of course I am. He knew who I was the moment he saw me." Klara reassured him as she easily hoisted herself up through the window. "Follow me." She instructed over her shoulder as she crawled through.

Once she was inside she turned to wait for Donny as he followed her lead. As soon as he was in the house he turned to close the window, then faced her again with a frown on his handsome face. "Continue." Donny urged, crossing his arms.

Klara shrugged at him. "Nothing substantial happened." She said simply. "We spoke for a moment, he threatened me with death should anything happen to you because of me, and then sent me on my way, but only after I got him to agree to let you stay until dawn." She explained.

The devilish smirk that appeared on his face was instantaneous. "Until _dawn_?"

Klara nodded in confirmation, knowing what the look on his face meant but also knowing that there were important things that they needed to discuss. "We _need_ to speak though."

Donny, however, only seemed to have one thing on his mind. He ignored her statement and moved forward regardless, pressing his lips hungrily against hers to silence her. "Let's talk later. We don't get a lot of these opportunities, Klare." He said against her lips before kissing her even more eagerly. "I don't wanna waste one minute of the time I have with you."

Her heart sang at the nickname he'd given her and she found herself falling under his spell just as easily as she had on the only other night they'd made love. She knew she needed to tell Donny the truth about her family and what was going on, but what if he never spoke to her again after he knew? What if this was the last time she'd ever see him after this conversation? At least then she could have this one last night with him to remember him by.

Klara gave into him then and returned his kiss as she dug her fingers into his hair. Donny lifted her effortlessly into the air before carrying her out of the study they were currently in and heading towards her bedroom, never pulling his lips from her. She kissed him with everything that she felt for him, knowing these could be the last few kisses she would ever share with the man currently setting her on her bed gently, and clung to him like her life depended on it as they quickly became wrapped up in their passion and each other.

* * *

As soon as the sound of tweeting birds reached her ears and the sunlight forced her eyes open, Klara's heart dropped. It was dawn. She felt Donny shift and turned to look at him over her shoulder, feeling her heart skip a bit when his arm tightened around her waist and he sighed deeply in his sleep. The time had come to tell him the truth and for him to go back to his troop, where he would most likely then be ordered to never come near her again. This relationship, which she now realized was so much more meaningful then she'd wanted to admit, was about to reach its end.

It took all of her courage to finally speak. "Donny…" She said gently, running her fingertips over his arm.

He shifted again then groaned in protest. "No." He grumbled sleepily. "I'm not leavin."

"Donny, you must wake." She said firmly.

He blinked his eyes open slowly before moving a hand to rub the sleep out of them. But when he pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder he frowned and ran a fingertip over the bruise he'd just brushed his lips over, inspecting her with calculating eyes. "I didn't see this earlier…what's it from?"

She looked away from him and bit her lip. _Now or never._ "My brother." She finally answered.

"_What_?" Donny asked. His voice had a dangerous edge to it and the ferocity of it surprised her. "Ya _brother_? What the fuck, Klare – is he what you wanted to talk about?"

Klara sighed and closed her eyes with a nod, tears rising underneath her eyelids. Wordlessly she held out her arm, the one Kurt had grabbed, for him to see. Donny was deathly silent and when she finally opened her eyes again, he was staring at her with a clenched jaw and a murderous gleam in his eye. "Tell me what's goin on. _Now_." Donny instructed as he sat up and stared down at her.

"My brother, Kurt…" She started to explain.

But Klara didn't get to finish her statement. A knock sounded on her front door at that moment and both she and Donny looked towards the noise quickly, their eyes widening in surprise. As the knocking continued she and Donny shared a look of confusion.

"One of your men?" Klara asked him as they both scrambled out of bed to dress quickly.

"Could be – " He began to say.

"Klara, open up!" Kurt's voice suddenly rang out.

Klara froze, her eyes going wide, and looked at Donny fearfully. "Sheisse, sheisse, sheisse!" She began cursing wildly in German.

Donny looked mildly panicked as she began hurriedly collecting anything he hadn't snatched up himself and shoving them into his hands, and when she began ushering him towards the bedroom door with the intent of forcing him into the secret room he finally grabbed her hands to bring her frantic movements to a halt. "Klara, who is it?" He hissed at her.

"My brother!" She said in a panic.

"What?" He asked viciously, looking very much like The Bear Jew she'd first met within a nanosecond. "He's a fuckin' _dead man_ for hurting you." He growled.

Then he strode to the bedroom door and yanked it open himself, wasting no time to go striding for the door. When he snatched up his bat in the process Klara immediately went running after him.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Klara hissed as she grabbed him by the shoulder, shoving him hard towards the bookcase. Donny looked surprised at her strength then downright confused as she pushed the bookshelf aside. Kurt was still knocking on her door and Donny narrowed his eyes at her.

"What the _fuck _is going on?" He asked her quietly, looking highly upset with the situation at hand.

"Hide here. Please. _Please _hide in here. I will explain _everything_. Just hide! _Please_!" Klara pleaded with him quietly.

Donny glared at her for a moment before glancing towards the large picture resting on her coffee table. When his jaw dropped in absolute shock, her heart plummeted to the ground. "He's a fuckin' _Nazi_?!" He hissed at her ferociously. "And is that…is that…" He sputtered angrily, pointing to the picture furiously.

"I will explain. I swear." She said desperately.

Donny was so angry that is chest was heaving and he looked like his head may explode at any minute, but he didn't put up a struggle as she finally pushed him into the room with the hiding family. The fact that he was deathly silent in that moment worried her more then anything he could have possibly said just then but she had no time to worry about it right then. One of the Basterds was in her home while her Nazi brother was about to break down the door – she had to get him to safety.

Klara finally slid the bookshelf closed again then hurried to answer the door and face her brother, dreading what would happen whenever she finally released Donny from the hidden room.

**A/N: Review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Oh, my lovely readers! Can you ever forgive me?!**

**So here's the deal: I moved into a new apartment a few months ago and for a long time, my time was preoccupied with getting situated and making sure everything was in order...and thus far, the only thing we don't have going for us here is INTERNET. That it my sole reason for not being able to update my stories. **

**Unfortunately, lack of internet made me depressed and made it hard to write, but lately I've been having ideas out the whazoo. So expect more updates (as long as I can find location with internet!)!**

**Disclaimer: You guys know I don't own anything. **

**Enjoy!**

_Donny's POV_

A Nazi.

A fucking Nazi.

There had been a Jew-hating, Jew-hunting, and Jew-_killing_ Nazi officer right under his nose for close to a month now and he had been none the wiser. When he and his comrades had taken this mission and come to France, they'd been given a list of those most desired for execution – Kurt Bathurst was number six on that list.

And Klara had been lying to him about it the whole time.

Donny didn't know what to do with himself just then. He was simply staring at the back of the bookshelf as he stood in this dark little room that he'd never known about. His fists were clenched and his teeth were grinding, but he made no other movements just then. And while he stood there seething, Klara was on the other side opening the door for the Nazi fuck she was related to and they were speaking in their native tongue so he couldn't understand a damn thing they were talking about and it only served to the fuel the fire inside of him.

How was he going to get out of this situation? How could he have been so ignorant? Why had he gone against his better judgment and gotten involved with this woman? Despite all the thoughts already running through his head, Donny couldn't help but begin to wonder what else Klara could have been lying to him about. Was she a double agent? Had she lured him in under false pretenses just to hand him and his men over when the time had come and the price was right? He certainly hoped not – it made him shudder to think that she, the one woman he'd found that had caught his interest in a way no other woman had, would be that heartless.

He knew her brother all too well, though, and began to doubt Klara's legitimacy completely. He'd seen pictures of Kurt Bathurst in the newspapers and had heard stories about the work he'd been doing with Landa. And Donny had never thought to ask Klara what her last name was, otherwise he would have made the connection a long time ago. Now that he knew the same blood ran in her veins, he wanted to rip his hair out for getting tangled into her web. For a moment, he considered storming out into the living room to confront the kraut bastard but then decided against it since he had no idea how many people Kurt Bathurst had with him and didn't exactly feel like getting himself shot up right then.

So Donny then started to take in his surroundings with a frown, peering around in confusion.

…Where the fuck _was_ he?

Donny finally turned and began to look around, his eyes squinting in the dark to see what was in there. He couldn't see much, just some spare clothes and a stockpile of food near him that the dim lighting from her living lit up as it shined through the cracks in the bookshelf.

Just as Donny began to write the room off as a storage area of some sort, dark figures in the corner made him freeze immediately. He brought his hands up to his eyes and rubbed them for a moment, convinced he was seeing things, before looking again only to discover that he was indeed _not _seeing things – there before him, in a hidden room that was owned by Klara Bathurst, the only sister of one of the Nazi Officers he had on his list to hunt, was a family that was obviously in hiding and looking absolutely terrified at that particular moment.

And then it hit him like a ton of bricks. _That_ was why she snuck around at night so much, _that_ was why she was always delivering letters to someone, and _this_ was why she was so keen on keeping tabs of the Nazis in the area – she was hiding Jewish families in her own home.

She'd always said that he would find out what she was all about in due time and now he wondered why she'd waited so long to tell him. Any anger he'd felt for her, any doubts he'd had, were immediately wiped clean. There was absolutely no way she would be helping Jews escape if she was siding with the Nazis in any way.

The family was looking at him like he was some ax-murdered coming to slay them all so he motioned for them to keep quiet, to which they nodded, and then turned to face the bookshelf again and wait for her brother's departure. Donny had no clue what was happening on the other side of the bookcase, but suddenly he couldn't wait to get Klara in his arms again.

This woman. He'd had no idea where their relationship was going and knew it could've been the biggest mistake of his life to have gotten involved with her, but lately he'd been having trouble picturing his future without the sharp-tongued, strong-headed German woman that had all but taken over his thoughts. He'd thought she was a force to be reckoned with before but now this? She'd probably been living a life where she'd undoubtedly been surrounded by Nazis for only she and God knew how long, yet she still was risking her neck and helping his people. She was amazing, she was unlike anyone he'd ever known, she was fucking _perfect_…

She was going to be the God-damned end of him someday.

* * *

"I have to leave." Kurt said with a regretful tone as he barged into her home. "And I apologize for the early call, but I am leaving first thing and did not want to leave with such an impersonal goodbye like one you would find through a letter."

Klara nodded distractedly, her mind racing with a million different thoughts as she watched him near her bookcase. She didn't want Kurt to come further into her home, knowing fully well that Donny had multiple things lying around her house at the moment, but him being near the bookcase wasn't much more of a comfort. If Kurt discovered Donny had been there, or was still present, it would be the end for the both of them. She had once hoped that Kurt would show mercy on his only sister if he were to ever learn of her secrets, but now knew very well that Kurt would put his country over his 'traitorous' sister any day of the week.

The part of her that wasn't worried beyond comprehension that Donny would be discovered began to wonder just what the man in question was thinking of her right then. She knew he had to be furious at the knowledge of Kurt and the fact that she was his sister - he probably thought she was a liar or a double-agent, something of that sort. As Klara worried over all the conclusions Donny could be jumping to, she very deeply began to regret keeping so much information from him for so long. He'd probably throttle her the moment he left the room.

Kurt began to toy with some books on the bookshelf and it quickly snapped her out of her thoughts and back to reality. She decided to stop worrying about what Donny was thinking and concentrate on more important matters at hand, like the fact that a Nazi soldier was separated from a Basterd and a Jewish family by nothing but her bookcase. She had to distract him.

"Has something happened?" She asked loudly, gaining his attention again.

"No." Kurt said with a shake of his head as he turned to face her. "At least nothing that has not been occurring for some time now – Landa has a new job for us that requires immediate attention."

Ah. They were going to hunt down more Jews. Klara nodded. "I see."

Kurt watched her curiously for a moment then stepped forward, pressing the back of his hand to her forehead. "Are you alright, sister? You seem flustered." He commented with a slightly suspicious gaze.

Klara heart pounded in her chest and she nodded her head, forcing on a smile. "I am fine. I suppose I am still recovering from your unexpected visit." It wasn't much of an excuse, but Kurt seemed to buy it. Klara watched with growing relief as Kurt fixed his uniform hat back over his blonde hair, obviously preparing to leave. "When will you return?"

"I shall return again for the premiere. We will not be separated for long." He said with a nod. Then he moved a bit closer to her and met her eyes steadily, pinning her into place with his pointed stare. "And I trust you will have _very_ good news for me on the subject of Emmerich when I return?" He asked with a quirk of his eyebrow.

She wanted to scream at him for being so insensitive and for no longer caring about her happiness, but instead pursed her lips and nodded. She'd say just about anything to get him out of her home right then. "I shall try my hardest. That you can be assured of." She lied right through her teeth.

Kurt smirked and nodded once before grabbing her by the shoulders to pull her closer. She winced at the contact, waiting for a return of his harsh treatment, and knew that he noticed it. But he simply pressed a kiss to her forehead and then turned to depart, closing the door behind him without another word.

Klara stood frozen to the spot, her heart pounding, and listened for the departure of his car. Once it was no longer in earshot, she ran to the door and dead-bolted it, resting a hand over her pounding heart for a moment before mustering up what was left of her bravery and walking over to the bookshelf. She paused, closing her eyes to prepare herself for the wrath that awaited her, and then pushed the bookcase to the side.

"I am so sorry. I did not –" She started to say.

Klara didn't get to finish her sentence. Donny had her in his arms in a second and his lips on hers in the next. She made a sound of surprise at the contact and returned his kiss unsurely, opening her eyes when he pulled away. He brought a hand to her face and rubbed her cheek tenderly with a look she had never seen before in his eyes. "D-Donny?" She asked unsurely.

"I love you." He blurted out.

Klara's jaw dropped and she suddenly found it quite difficult to breathe. He _loved_ her? As in truly _loved _her? Their relationship, which she'd always assumed was derived mostly from uncertainty of their futures and loneliness, had just taken a very serious turn. Did he expect her to say the words back? Did she _want _to say them back? Hell, _did_ shelove him?

"You don't have'ta say it back." Donny said, moving back a bit and scratching the back of his neck nervously. He stared at her for a long moment then motioned to the family slowly making their way towards the entrance, looking very unsure of their surroundings. "Thank you." He said simply, looking a bit choked up. "Ya have no idea what this means to me."

Klara took a relaxing breath and then nodded, a smile growing on her face as she began to realize he _wasn't _about to bash her head in. "You are most welcome, Donny."

He offered her a small smile before he cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. "I...I need to get my things together. Time to head back soon." He said before he turned on his heel and headed for her bedroom.

Klara watched him go, her body feeling warm and tingly at his confession of love, and then looked back at the family. She told them to stay in the room and that she would make them a hot breakfast before she closed the shelf with one last encouraging smile and headed for the kitchen.

Donny loved her. He'd _actually _said the words. But the question now was did he mean them? Or was he just caught up in the moment? Was he so overwhelmed at learning of her involvement with helping Jews escape that he said things he didn't really mean? Regardless of all these questions, the biggest one she needed to answer was whether or not she loved Donny in return. They hadn't known each other for long, only a month, yet she found it harder to part with him each time he left. And while he was gone, she constantly worried about him. Seeing him, recieving his notes - it always brought a smile to her face and brightened her day. But was that really love?

"How long?" Donny voice rang out suddenly, making her jump and pause in her cooking.

"A year now. Ever since I moved to France." Klara said with a smile over her shoulder. He was dressed and ready to go, but didn't look like he was in too big of a rush.

"That's wicked ballsy of ya, Klare." He said, smirking at her and looking as though he had a bit more control over his emotions now. "'Specially for being related to that lowlife brother of yours."

"It is my own personal way of telling Kurt to, how do you say…piss off?" She said with a smirk. Donny laughed and then moved closer to her so he could wrap his arms around her. She leaned back into his embrace and sighed, letting go of her cooking utensils to rest her hands over his. "I left Germany because of him. He was trying so hard to recruit me, always dragging me to Nazi celebrations. It was not what I wanted for anyone, let alone myself. And Landa…" She felt Donny tense behind her. "Well, his interest was unnerving."

"He won't touch ya. I can promise ya that, blondie." He said determinedly in her ear.

Klara smiled a bit then looked at him over her shoulder. She knew she probably shouldn't bring it up but considering their circumstances, if she didn't ask now there was no guaruntee she'd ever get to. "Why do you love me?"

Donny sighed and pressed a kiss to her shoulder before resting his chin there. "How could I not?" He finally countered.

Klara smiled to herself, feeling warm and tingly again, and then turned to face him so she could wrap her arms around his neck. "Good answer."

Donny smiled another rare, genuine smile and gave her a lingering kiss before pulling away from her completely. "I gotta go. Lieutenant'll be mad if I'm late, ya know." He said, making his way for the side window often used for secretly entering her home .

"Yes, I know. I wish you could stay..." Klara said with a frown, trailing after him. "Just be careful, alright?"

Donny pushed the window up and started to climb out, a smirk on his face again. "I'm _always_ careful." He said cockily. Then he continued speaking. "We've got some business elsewhere to take of for a while. I don't know when we'll be back on this side of town, but ya know I'll be kickin' down ya door the day I get back." He said with a wink.

"I know, I know," Klara retorted, leaning out of the window as he jumped to the sidewalk. He saluted her with a smirk and then turned to leave.

As always, when Donny departed the realization that this could be the last time she ever saw him slammed into her gut like a ton of bricks. Donny was rough around the edges, had foul language, and had the tendency to be downright barbaric from time to time, but he had let her in and let her see the softer side of him that he obviously reserved for the right person. And she knew that she felt deeper feelings for him then she had originally thought, feelings that only grew stronger each time she was with him. Klara watched him take a few steps and then suddenly felt the worlds tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"Donny, Ich liebe dich." She half-shouted in German, unable to think of the words in English because she was suddenly so nervous and excited all at the same time to announce her feelings. He turned and looked at her in surprise, obviously recognizing the more simple German term of endearment then walked back briskly, hopping on the crate so he was tall enough to give her another kiss. "What I meant to say," Klara started when he pulled away. "Is that I love you." She clarified in English.

"Of course ya do." Donny teased her smugly before kissing her once more and turning to leave for good with a bit more of a bounce in his step. Just before he turned the corner he turned to face her and shrugged. "How could ya not?" He asked cockily before leaving her to laugh and shake her head at him.

* * *

_Four days later…_

"There is something we need to speak of." Klara whispered to Dieter in German as he prepared his large truck to carry the family she'd been caring for to the docks. He looked down at her with a cocked eyebrow then motioned for her to continue speaking. "I have been seeing someone…and he is one of the Basterds."

Dieter immediately froze and looked down at her in shock, pausing in preparing his truck to stare at her incredulously. "You are serious?" When she nodded her head, Dieter sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We agreed not to get involved with the Basterds' business, Klara."

"And I am not involved with their business."

"But you are with one of them!" Dieter hissed. "It is only a matter of time before they attempt to drag you into their excursions, especially should they find out what we do here." He paused and thought for a moment before shooting her a questioning look. "_Do _they know what we do?"

Klara frowned and pinched the bridge of her nose before nodding. Dieter made a sound of annoyance and stalked around his truck to continue preparing, obviously irritated with the change in conversation. "Dieter." She said, following him around the truck. "I did not mean for him to find out. He only knows because my brother came to my house while he was inside and I was forced to hide him with the family." He didn't say anything to her words so she tried again. "They know I want nothing to do with their rendezvous and I will make sure they know we need no help." Dieter still didn't respond. "Dieter, I _love_ him."

This made Dieter finally look at her and he sighed before moving forward to grab her by the shoulders. "Forgive me for my anger. You know that I only worry about you and Remy and the families. My worry for you has grown, that is all."

Klara smiled and pulled him into a hug. "I know. And thank you. But I promise you that I can take care of myself." She reassured him. "And if I need help, he will be more then willing…when he is around, anyway." She added with a slight laugh.

"You are lucky he did not ring your neck for being a Bathurst." Dieter quipped a bit cynically before he shot her a smirk, tugging at her hat affectionately and continuing to prepare his truck.

"I think he felt differently on the situation of my last name once he found out about the famiy." She answered with a shrug, reaching up to fix her hat. "Otherwise, I would _not _be standing here right now."

Dieter nodded and with one last tug on a belt to fasten down a few bags, he patted his truck and then motioned for the family to climb aboard. "Who is this Basterd, anyway?" He asked as his soon-to-be-passengers got settled in the truck. "So I can know whom to address should I encounter him on my travels."

"The Bear Jew." She said proudly.

Dieter quirked an eyebrow and scoffed. "Of all the Basterds to choose…" He didn't finished his comment, only laughed slightly and then climbed into the driver's seat of his car once the family was all settled in. Klara poked her head in to say a quick goodbye, clasping onto Edith's hand for a moment, before backing away. "Please be safe. My thoughts are with you."

"The same goes for you. I will see you soon."

Dieter waved goodbye and then pressed down on the gas to drive away. Klara watched him go, crossing her arms over her chest, until she could no longer see his taillights in the darkness. Then she turned and headed back for her home.

**A/N: Review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'm sorry. **

**I know it's been an incredibly long time since I updated this story. For a while, I had no access to the movie, which hampered my writing, and then the past five months of my life have been complete chaos. I had never lost anyone I truly loved until this year, and then I lost both my father and my grandfather within two months of each other. I've been trying to find a way to feel like my old self again, and I decided to give writing a shot. So far, it the one thing that's really helped me feel normal again. So I'm sorry if it sucks, but I'm putting forth my best effort!**

**I missed this story, I'll be the first to admit it!**

**Enjoy! And review, I love reviews. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Having Donny come to visit her then being forced to let him go so he could disappear with his comrades for unknown lengths of time was something that Klara had been doing ever since the day she'd met him. And by this time, saying goodbye was something that she might have thought she'd grow accustomed to.

But as it was, now that they had exchanged some of the most important words two people could exchange she found that her concern for his safety had increased significantly. The twelve days that had passed since they'd professed their love and then gone their separate ways (yet again) had been complete torture for Klara. Her mind had been constantly plagued with thoughts of what could have happened to him while they were apart and the days had been spent wondering when she would see him again. Running errands, visiting with Shoshanna, busying herself around the house – though they had been enough to effectively keep her mind occupied at one point in time, they were no longer enough to distract her from her bothersome thoughts.

This was why the note she'd received from Remy earlier that week couldn't have come at a better time – it was the first time Klara's worries had been successfully diverted away from Donny since watching him walk away from her window nearly two weeks ago.

So now she sat perched on the edge of the bed and slipping into her shoes. When the blonde straightened up again she stretched her neck first to the right, and then to the left, before sucking in a deep breath.

One thing was certain, Klara was _definitely _beginning to feel the urgency behind everything happening in her life. She _needed_ to help more families, because every day more and more Jews were being killed. She _needed_ to be with Donny any moment she could, because she never knew when her last day with him would approach. She _needed_ to find a way to get rid of Emmerich once and for all and preferably in a way that _didn't_ involve bloodshed, though if he didn't get the hint soon the idea of setting The Bear Jew loose on him was becoming vastly more appealing. Then of course there was the fact that she was related to a Jew-hunting monster. Klara wasn't naïve – she knew that someday she would either be caught (maybe even killed) in the act, and deep down she had the feeling that Kurt would be the one to figure out the truth.

The stress of it all was beginning to catch up to her, but Klara tried hard not to let it consume her completely. She needed to keep her head on straight. If not, everything, including her, would come falling apart at the seams.

When the clock chimed eleven times, signaling the new hour, Klara shook her head to rid herself of the troublesome thoughts. Now wasn't the time to sit there fretting over the tangled web she currently resided in, now was the time to focus on the task at hand – there was another family depending on her and waiting to get to safety.

Klara stood resolutely from the bed and walked to the vanity, snatching up a hat before securing it over her blonde hair. Remy and her new guests would be waiting for her in the bar, where she knew she'd have to divulge the same secret she'd revealed to Dieter concerning her involvement with Donny. She wasn't overly worried about him losing his head over it, since Remy wasn't nearly as hot-headed as Dieter, but where the Frenchman lacked temper he made up for it with paranoia. He was sure to have as poor of a reaction to the news as Dieter initially had.

The moment that Klara finally slipped out of her study window and landed in the alleyway, she was hit with the strange nagging feeling of being watched.

She paused, looking towards the right and then to the left as the hairs on the back of her neck immediately stood on end. She, Remy, and Dieter had decided long ago that if the operation felt compromised in anyway to abort the mission, and for the first time Klara felt like doing just that. For a few long moments the German stood perched on the crate, strongly considering going back into her home and forgoing the whole thing, but finally pushed away her doubts and continued on when nothing around her showed signs of life or movement. She still felt a little uneasy as she turned back to close the window but decided her paranoia was just derived from her growing apprehension for everything going on in her life just then.

Klara hopped off the crate and listened to her own echoing footsteps as she scampered down the alleyway, turning right once she reached the street to start in the direction of the bar. As usual, a few drunken guards and Frenchmen were wandering the streets and, as usual, she darted past them with as little conversation and interaction as possible. The feeling of being watched subsided the further she walked and she breathed easier as she took a moment to duck into a darkened alcove, peering in the direction she had come from to make sure no one was paying any mind to the German woman's whereabouts.

Once she was convinced that her presence was old news amongst the tavern hoppers she slipped back out of the alcove, dug her hands into her pockets, and set off for the bar again. To her relief she didn't encounter anyone else and as soon as Klara reached the rotted, partially destroyed door to the old bar she knocked the designated pattern and then opened the door, smiling in greeting when she spotted Remy.

"You were quick tonight." Remy commented with a small smirk, sitting at a table and drinking casually from a flask. His feet were propped up as though he was relaxing but his index finger with placed securely on the trigger of his gun, ready to jump into action if the occasion called for it.

"The nightlife is slow tonight – I was able to slip past without drawing any attention." She stated as she shut the door again. Then she walked over to join him and extended a hand towards him, silently requesting him to pass over the flask he held. "How many this time?"

"Only three." He answered, handing her the flask. "I have been keeping my eye out for smaller groups now that your brother is hovering." He paused and watched as she knocked back some of the alcohol, smirking when she pulled a face at the potency, then snatched it back from her. "I _also _received a note from Dieter." Remy revealed slowly.  
"It would appear you and I have something quite serious to discuss, friend."

_Dieter the Snitch, _Klara thought accusingly before slowly nodding her head. "Yes, we do."

"And am I correct in assuming it involves this Bear Jew we have spoken of previously?" He questioned knowingly.

Again, she nodded. "Yes. He and I…well, I do not really know what we are." She stated with a shrug. "But whatever it is, it is far more intimate then both you and Dieter would probably be comfortable with. And _yes,_ he knows what we do but knows we have no wish to combine our mission with the one he and his fellow men have embarked on."

Remy stared at her for a moment, processing the information, then knocked back some more of his drink. "I cannot say that I am surprised." He finally admitted, finally standing from his seat. "I saw the look in your eyes when you were speaking of him. I figured it was only a matter of time before something…_progressed _between the two of you."

"You could always see right through me, Remy." Klara conceded with a short laugh.

Remy smirked and then cocked his head to the side. "So you told him then?" He inquired curiously.

"No. My brother decided to show up while The Bear Jew was still in my home." Klara revealed. Remy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I hid him with the family and he figured it out for himself."

"You are lucky to still be alive." Remy said matter-of-factly.

"That is how Dieter saw it as well."

"Klara, you _must_ be more careful." Remy chastised. "If The Bear Jew had thought for even a moment that you were a double agent, he would have killed you – if Kurt had discovered who was hiding in your spare room, _he _would have killed you. You must practice more caution. None involved can afford to be careless."

Klara frowned, mulling over Remy's words. "You believe Kurt would have _killed_ me?"

"You said yourself your brother has changed." Remy said simply. "And from what I hear and read, he takes his job very seriously." He slipped his flask into his pocket then brought his free hand up to rest on her shoulder. "I would suggest that you do not let yourself become too comfortable in the presence of your brother. I fear it would be a very unwise decision."

She nodded, feeling a little disconcerted with what Remy had said. It was already her plan to avoid both her brother and his wishes to see her become Mrs. Emmerich Haugg, but now Remy's worries had opened her mind to an entirely knew issue – Kurt had proven to be cruel and violent, but could his maliciousness extend further then physical abuse? Was it possible for him to be so cold-hearted that he would actually end his own sister's life?

Remy was about to speak again when the sound of multiple sets of footsteps suddenly resonated in the alley just outside of the bar. They both froze, sharing a look for a moment before Remy raised his gun, bracing it against his shoulder and pointing it towards the door. Klara reached into her jacket pocket to produce the small handgun she carried with her on nights like this, wielding it quickly as the footsteps drew closer. She hadn't realized how loudly they'd been having their discussion and cursed herself for their lack of discretion, cringing as the steps outside slowed upon nearing the door to the bar.

"They may keep going." Remy murmured to her, keeping his eyes trained on the door.

Klara glanced at him and shrugged uncertainly before shifting her gaze back to the door. When the doorknob suddenly jiggled, she and Remy both cocked their guns to the ready. The handle immediately stopped moving and she immediately heard whispers on the other side. Her heart began pounding in her chest out of fear that she and Remy were about to be bombarded by Nazi guards and she took a steadying breath, bracing herself for whatever was about to come through the door. Remy moved forward slowly and finally called out in French, demanding to know who was on the other side of the door.

"Announce yourself!" He called in a no-nonsense tone.

Klara listened out for the response, half-expecting the door to be kicked in at any momrent, but the only response was more whispering. But as she started to catch small snippets of the conversation outside, her eyebrows came together as she slowly figured out who might be on the other side of the door.

" – hell if I know! I don't speak French!" A voice whispered harshly.

"Just call for her!"

"Yeah, and get shot in the balls? No way." A familiar voice responded haughtily. "I know it's me, but they don't!"

Remy opened his mouth to speak again but Klara put a hand on his arm to quiet him, shaking her head at him and then smiling to herself as she slipped her gun into the waistband of her pants and walked to the door, pausing just outside of it. "I am opening the door. Please do not shoot me." She called out with a happy grin. She waited only another moment before yanking it open.

Once the door was open, the first person her eyes landed on was Donny. They shared a smile before she stepped to the side and motioned the three men inside, shutting the door securely once they had all filed into the dingy bar. Remy didn't look too pleased at the turn of events and rested his gun against his shoulder again with a frown, staring each man down. Klara took the place next to Donny but didn't make a move to touch or hug him – she'd missed him greatly but the _last_ thing she wanted to do was put their romance on display in front of their comrades.

"What are you doing here?" Klara asked curiously, taking in Donny's appearance. Again there was a few days worth of stubble on his face and his hair was growing longer now, but she found his ruggedness quite appealing. She spied a few faded bruises on his arms and face but didn't worry herself over them _too_ much because that seemed to be the extent of his injuries.

"Lieutenant wants to hold a meeting." Donny said, crossing his arms over his chest. "He wants to talk with ya…and the people ya work with. We were coming to leave ya a note when I saw ya slip out ya window. I assumed ya were coming to meet with someone…" He trailed off, looking over at Remy. "Seems I was right."

"A meeting?" Remy asked skeptically. "For what exactly?"

"Just to straighten out a few details." Donny answered. "And discuss a few options. Can ya do it?"

Klara and Remy shared a look and she shrugged, turning back to Donny. "It is not an easy task meeting with Dieter. He is on the road more then either of us." She explained to him. "But I will have to contact him so we can arrange a night to g move this new group to the shore….perhaps we can arrange a meeting on the night we move them. I can warn him ahead of time that when he comes to collect them that a meeting will take place as well."

"Perfect." Donny said with an approving nod.

Remy cleared his throat to catch her attention and then motioned her over. Klara flashed Donny an apologetic look before walking over to Remy. "We said we would not be involved with them, remember? You are already involved to deep. Do _not_ bring us into this as well." He said lowly in French so that the Basterds present couldn't understand him.

"It is just a meeting." Klara shot back. "They know fully well we want nothing to do with their excursions."

She had a feeling that Remy's protest would have continued but when an unexpected noise sounded outside, sounding suspiciously like a group of soldiers marching past the bar, everyone in the room immediately went still and fell silent. Klara shared a look with Remy before creeping over to the window, ignoring both Remy and Donny when they moved to stop her, and pushed a blind out of the way just enough to look out into the street once she was close enough to. A small band of German soldiers was patrolling past but seemed none the wiser of what was happening in the dingy old bar they had just passed by.

"We need to end this meeting." She said quietly once the soldiers had cleared the area. "_Those_ soldiers are not suspicious, but they will not be the only squad to patrol past here." Klara turned back to them, moving the blind back into place, and joined the group of men again as she checked her gun. "How long will you be here for?" She asked Donny.

"A week, at least."

"I will try to leave word of when we can set up a meeting within the week, then." She confirmed with a nod. "Remy, will you be able to make more visits so that I may leave word for you as well?"

"Yes." Remy agreed, albeit reluctantly so. He eyed the three men before him with a hint of distaste before walking up to Donny. He didn't move to shake the Bear Jew's hand but he did stare him down and bring himself up to full height to try and intimidate him. Judging by Donny's unaffected look, Klara didn't think it was working in the slightest. "If anything happens to our operation because of the relationship between you two, I will wring your neck myself." He threatened. "And I trust that since you now put Klara in harms way even more, that you will keep a close eye on her when you can spare it."

Donny actually looked offended for a moment before he glared at the Frenchman. "You bet ya sorry ass I'm keepin an eye on her. Ya think I'd leave her out to dry?" He snapped, squaring his shoulders.

"Good." Remy retorted before turning to Klara. "I will check back as often as I can. Now get those three out of here while I can still provide cover if it is needed."

"Hey…" One of Donny's men said, also looking offended.

"He was not speaking of you." Klara reassured him before turning to head for the stairs and taking the steps two at a time to go collect the three hiding Jews.

She wasn't too surprised to hear dead silence between the four men downstairs but was very surprised when she entered the attic and realized that the three Jews all looked to be young teenagers. They huddled together when Klara came into sight but relaxed when she offered a friendly smile, explaining the situation before leading them downstairs. Remy headed for the door when she reappeared with the three teenagers but Klara paused by Donny, motioning the three young teenagers to head towards where Remy was. Donny eyed the teenagers before turning his gaze back on Klara – she didn't miss the proud gleam residing in his eyes.

"We will leave first." Klara told him, readying her gun again. "Remy will guard us until we are a few blocks away. When he leaves, you three should take your leave as well."

"Ya think I'm gonna leave ya to this by yourself? No fuckin' way." Donny argued.

Though Klara did appreciate his protectiveness, she shook her head at him in slight exasperation. "This is not the first time I have done this, Donny."

"Yeah, but it's the first time I've known you're doin it though. I'm coming with ya." He said stubbornly. When she opened her mouth to protest, he cut her off. "My decision's final."

She stared at him for a long moment before sighing in defeat. "Fine. Just you though. We do not need the group to be any larger or we shall attract far too much attention."

Donny nodded and then turned to explain to his men what the new plan was while she rejoined the teenagers, patting Remy's shoulder. She said a few parting words to the Frenchman before Donny was at her side and pushing the door open, poking his head out first. He motioned that the coast was clear and then ushered the three teenagers out. Klara followed and nodded to Remy and the other two men in parting.

"I shall see you soon." She said before she, Donny, and the teenagers set off for her home.

* * *

"I don't like this at _all_." Donny said grumpily as he helped the teenagers into her house through the side window. "Is this _really_ what ya been up to this whole time? This is so fuckin' dangerous it's stupid."

Klara rolled her eyes but kept guard, only sparing a glance in Donny's direction. "Donny, if I had a dog tag for every time I have done this, my souvenirs would put yours to shame." She told him with a smirk.

Donny didn't look amused. "It only takes one time to fuck everything up, Klare."

"I know." She said gently, switching tactics when she recognized the concern in his voice. She made her way over to him as the last teenager went through the window and rested a hand on his cheek, smiling at him fondly. "Thank you for being so worried, but I understood what I signed up for when I took this mission." She explained. "I have been lucky and I stay lucky by keeping myself optimistic. Try not to see the negative."

"It's hard not to when the girl I love is putting herself in harm's way." He said with a scowl.

"And the man I love is going on suicide missions half of the time, but you do not hear me fretting. I just pray that you know what you are doing and that you will do nothing to compromise yourself." She responded pointedly.

"I'm smarter than that." He shot back.

"Sometimes."

He huffed at her but Klara only let out a short laugh before leaning up to kiss him. He returned it eagerly, immediately wrapping his arms around her, and she allowed herself to become carried away with his fervent kiss. But when his hands began to boldly run over her body she gently pulled away from him. She was burning with desire for the handsome man in front of her but now was not the time to let their need for one another get the better of them. Donny snuck in one more kiss before she pulled away from him completely and stepped up onto the crate.

"I hate to see you go, but we must part way tonight. I need to keep a low profile." She said regretfully.

Donny nodded, looking disappointed, but didn't protest like she thought he might. He simply slung his gun over his shoulder and backed away a few steps. "I understand. I'll probably be around in a few days, then we can take some time to ourselves. I've been _dyin'_." He told her with a pitiful look. She giggled and shook her head, feeling butterflies of excitement erupt in her stomach. "Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect." She agreed immediately, just as eager to have private time with him. "Be careful."

"Yeah, you too." He shot back, moving even further away. "I'll be thinkin' about ya, Klare. Just…don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"I won't." Klara promised him. "And Donny?" She hissed, making him stop. He tilted his head, waiting for her to continue, and she smiled at him lovingly. "I am glad you have returned safely."

"Me too."

"I love you." She said in parting, still feeling giddy to be saying the words even though this wasn't the first time she'd spoken them to Donny.

"Love ya, too." Donny responded with a small smirk before turning on his heel to leave. "See ya in a few days, Blondie."

**A/N: Review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Warning, there is some offensive language in this chapter and offense names. I mean nothing by it, its for the sake of the story!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing.**

It was all Klara could do to _not_ pay attention to the small group of German soldiers sitting three tables away from her, and it was a feat that seemed to grow more and more impossible by the moment.

Ever since she'd sat down the men had been making comments and conspicuously leering at her, and though they seemed oblivious to it, their actions were making her temper flare wildly inside of her – to the point where it felt as though she were only moments away from finally losing her control and berating the men for their crude behavior. She chanced a glance at them over the top of the menu when they fell silent, just to see if they were still paying attention to her, and immediately regretted the decision; most of the men wiggled their eyebrows at her or made kissy faces while the other simply smirked or laughed at their friend's antics.

This was just the icing on the cake after the stressful two days she had been having. The young teenagers were settled comfortably in her secret room, so everything was going according to plan in _that _respect, but the arrival of another note from Emmerich (asking for another date) the morning after they'd come to stay had brought forth a new round of stress. All Klara wanted was for something, _anything_, in her life to be uncomplicated even if just for a moment, but she had the distinct feeling that she would not be allowed that luxury. By this point the German was only moments away from asking Donny to finally take care of the Emmerich debacle and rid her of the Nazi pest – somehow she'd managed to refrain from doing so by trying to convince herself that Emmerich would get what was coming to him sooner or later (and hopefully sooner rather then later).

So now she sat in the usual café that she and Shoshanna frequented for their weekly brunches, yearning for relaxation, but thanks to the annoying German soldiers she was still apparently far from obtaining such a luxury. Klara had no idea why men thought they could treat women in such a disrespectful way, or why anyone would find their roaming eyes and obnoxious cat-calling flattering, but they had been severely misguided.

Klara jumped a few moments later when the chair across from her was first pulled out and then occupied, having been so wrapped up in her angry thoughts that she hadn't even realized that her friend had arrived. Shoshanna cast her a strange look before turning a scrutinizing look towards the table of soldiers as she shrugged off her coat.

"You look as though you have been having a bad morning." Shoshanna commented with a smirk.

"And it is still only eleven in the morning." Klara grumbled. "It has been one of _those _days, I am afraid. This morning I burned my hand then proceeded to rip my favorite dress when it got caught in the door, not forgetting that I was nearly run down by a car just outside of the café when I arrived." She explained huffily, recalling the misfortune she'd been experiencing all day. With a shake of her head Klara dropped the menu, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "I need a holiday."

Shoshanna bit back a smile and reached out to pat her arm, forcing a small smile out of Klara with the comforting gesture. "Are you still worrying about Donny, as well?"

"Of course. I always do. But, thank God, he has returned safely." Klara informed, dropping her hands onto the table. "I saw him two nights ago and I will see him again tonight. He left word this morning."

Shoshanna nodded then raised her hand to motion a waiter over. "That is good news to hear at least." She said reassuringly before ordering two drinks for them once their waiter had arrived at the table. After he walked away, Shoshanna leaned in closer. "Any news with the Basterds?" She asked, dropping her voice low so as not to be overheard.

"That is still to be determined." Klara responded. "As it turns out, Aldo the Apache wants to hold a meeting between my people and the Basterds." She revealed in a hushed voice. "I do not know what about, though – seeing as _neither_ of my partners were too pleased with how much we have become intertwined with them, I should hope he is not attempting to join forces."

Shoshanna nodded. "I can understand that." She said just before the waiter returned with their drinks.

"As can I." Klara agreed. For a moment Shoshanna became distracted by the group of soldiers, an irritated look crossing her feature for a moment at their behavior, but quickly turned her attention back on Klara when she continued speaking. "A meeting is necessary, however. It will make things _much_ clearer, let everyone know exactly where we stand – this is something I most certainly am not opposed to." Klara glanced at the group of men, who were paying their tabs but looking like they were in no rush to leave, and scowled. "Sometimes I truly hate men." She added, effectively changing the subject as she eyed the men distastefully.

"Yes, well, for the most part you have been surrounded by a bunch of Neanderthals." Shoshanna said cynically. "I understand your animosity." Then she smirked in amusement as she realized how irritable Klara really was. "I cannot recall another moment where I have seen you this aggravated. Is there something else happening I should know of?"

Klara shook her head, glaring at the men. One of them had finally gotten the hint and was no longer paying their table any mind, but the others with him had not. They were becoming bolder and more raucous with their ogling and comments, and Klara had just about reached the end of her patience. She was simply in too foul of a mood to tolerate the soldiers for much longer and whether they knew it or not, they were about to feel her wrath.

"Klara." Shoshanna said, catching her attention. "Just ignore them."

"I am trying. It is incredibly hard to, however," Klara started to say in French, "when _rude _and _barbaric _men are distracting me from my conversation." She finished in an annoyed voice, switching abruptly to German. She knew Shoshanna couldn't understand her but the men certainly could and they look highly surprised to not only hear her speaking in German, but also that she was addressing _them_. "Have you no manners?" She asked, throwing a napkin at their table. "Did your mothers raise you with the belief that ogling women and making ungentlemanly gestures would somehow acquire you a wife? I find that _very _hard to believe and I suggest you correct your ways, because the only thing your behavior will catch you, sirs, is an annoyed German woman and a hard hit to the face!"

The men were dumbfounded for a moment as they recovered from her lecture, but as they started to protest and argue back Klara stood from her seat, determined to hold her ground and glaring angrily at them. "I would choose your words carefully, soldiers. My brother, Kurt Bathurst, would not be very pleased to learn that his only sister is being harassed by his fellow men in battle." She hissed dangerously.

Klara had said the magic words – as soon as they realized just who she was they immediately fell silent and looked as though they had seen a ghost. One finally stood and wrung his hands together nervously, bowing his head to her slightly. "Forgive us, Fraulein Bathurst. We did not recognize you."

"Apology _un_accepted." She snapped in return, making the man flinch. "You should be kind to _every_ woman you meet, not just those related to someone you admire." Klara added in aggravation. "Now gather your things and leave or you will regret not doing so…_now_!"

The group fumbled over one another in their haste to depart and ran out as though the place was on fire. Klara watched them go in satisfaction, ignoring the numerous sets of eyes currently trained on her back, and smoothed out her skirt before sitting back down at the table. Shoshanna, who had been quiet throughout the whole exchange, looked to her with an expression that was both surprised and highly amused. The blonde finally let a smirk creep through and grabbed her drink, raising it in salute to her before taking a drink.

"Other than hearing your brother's name I do not have _any_ clue what you said," Shoshanna started. "but I am sure it was terrifying." She finished.

"Yes, well, telling people of my relation does seem to work to my advantage now and again." Klara grumbled. Then she scoffed cynically before taking a hearty drink of her wine. "At least by speaking of him I probably will have earned myself a bit more time before people become suspicious of me."

A concerned expression immediately took residence on Shoshanna's face. "What is this then? Why do you speak of such things?" When Klara didn't answer, Shoshanna frowned. "Are you sure you are well? I have never seen you in such a state, especially not over something as significant as a few rowdy German soldiers."

Klara shook her head and pressed raising her drink up to press the cool glass of it against her forehead, sighing with the relief it brought to her suddenly hot body. "I do not know what has gotten into me today. I have been in a sour mood since I left my home." She admitted. "I am merely stressed. With everything that is happening and with Kurt hovering…" Klara sighed. "I suppose I am just afraid that whenever I get caught, it will be he who will drag me to the execution stand." She finally admitted.

"_If _you get caught, Klara." Shoshanna corrected. "Which you will not – you must think positively." The two friends shared a long look before Klara finally nodded her agreement. Shoshanna didn't hesitate to raise her hand to signal the waiter again. "Here, let us order another round. You could use the drink."

* * *

After ordering just enough rounds of red wine to make her feel warm and tingly, Klara had made her way back to her home and spent the rest of the day trying to occupy herself as she waited for Donny's arrival. She felt a little more like herself after a nap, a hot bath, and then a large dinner…that was at least until eleven o'clock finally rolled around and she heard the firm knock on her door. Then her body was tingling with excitement and desire.

In an instant Klara flew off of her couch and yanked the door open, grinning at Donny once her eyes had landed on him. She didn't waste any time and grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, pulling him inside and dragging his lips down to her at once. He responded to her urgency and kicked the door shut behind him as they kissed one another hungrily, but after a few moments he pulled away, keeping her at bay with his hands on her shoulders. Klara looked at him in confusion but he only gave her a serious look in return, immediately making her a bit nervous.

"I need to talk to ya."

Klara felt her stomach drop and gulped. "What about?" She asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.

Donny seemed to think over his words for a moment. "I don't want ya runnin' these late night missions with those guys anymore."

Klara was surprised, but at the same time a bit relieved, to hear what he had to say. She had been sure a moment earlier that he was going to end their relationship and the mere thought of such a thing happening had almost forced her heart up into her throat – the fact that he _hadn't _said anything of that sort eased her anxiety at once. But then, as his words _really _processed in her head, Klara's relief came to a screeching halt and she pulled away from him a bit further. "Wait…you want me to discontinue helping families?" Klara asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I didn't say _that_." Donny said quickly. "I just don't want ya runnin'around France in the middle of the night. What ya've been doin' is extremely dangerous and the fact that ya move families from the bar to ya house _alone_ is downright fuckin' moronic."

Klara crossed her arms over her chest. "We arranged it that way for a specific reason, Donny." She defended. "We do not share important details about our private lives so that if one of us were ever to be caught, then we would not have information to provide on the others involved." Klara explained. "It is safer for everyone if we do not know where each other live, names of our family members, things of that sort – trust me."

"Safer for who?" Donny countered. "'Cause it seems like you're the one riskin' ya damn neck while the other guys sit around and twiddle their damn thumbs." He shot back, his frown deepening.

"I know what I am doing." Klara responded calmly, trying not to become annoyed with his over-protectiveness. "Remy and Dieter do plenty and they would never betray me, if that is what you are getting at. I was doing this long before I met you, Donny, and I will continue to do it after you leave."

Donny's eyebrows instantly rose at her choice of words and Klara inwardly cringed, rubbing her forehead once she realized just how bad they had sounded. "And just when am I leavin', Klara?" He asked condescendingly, now crossing his arms so that he was mimicking her stance and pinning her into place with an irritable look.

Unfortunately, if there was one thing in the world that Klara hated it was when someone talked down to her or made her feel as though she were two inches tall. His tone caused her anger to flare up again, fueled by all of the annoyances throughout her day, and she shrugged a shoulder at him. "You tell me. It is not as though you ever actually told me what this…" She took a moment to motion between the two of them, "_arrangement_ was anyway."

That was apparently the _wrong _thing to say, if the dark look on his face was anything to judge by. "I didn't think I'd _had _to – thought that was _pretty_ fuckin' obvious." He growled. "I seem to recall telling ya that I loved you more then once…unless ya have some look-a-like runnin' around and _that's_ who I've actually been fuckin' this whole time." He finished rudely.

Her jaw dropped for a moment before she ground her teeth together and glared at him angrily. "You are being incredibly offensive at the moment."

"And _you _are fuckin' confusin' me." He retorted, sounding exasperated. Then he shook her head and started to head back for the door. "I don't understand where all of this is coming from but I have too much shit on my plate to be fightin' with ya right now." And with that he was reaching for the doorknob and obviously about to depart for the night.

Klara might have been angry with him but when she remember how unstable their lives were, how unpredictable and dangerous their worlds were, her anger melted away and heart stopped at the thought of them parting on angry terms. If something happened to him and _these _were their last moments together, it would haunt her for the rest of her life.

Without hesitation Klara immediately moved forward, skirting around him so that she could place herself between him and the door. An impatient look passed over Donny's handsome features and he came to a quick halt, shifting his weight on his feet. "Wait, do not leave." She requested with a shake of her head. "Not like this. Please." Donny said nothing in response and for a long, silent moment they watched each other, Klara with pleading eyes and Donny with stubbornness radiating off of him. When it became apparent that he wasn't about to give in first and try to righten things between them, Klara finally sighed and placed her hands on his tense shoulders. "Forgive me, I apologize for being so grumpy." She said softly. "My day was terrible and I was expecting to rid myself of all my worries by making love to you all night. I was not anticipating a lecture and was just caught by surprise. I should not have reacted so poorly to your concern for my safety." She admitted.

"I didn't lecture." Donny huffed with a roll of his eyes, even as he relaxed under her touch a bit.

"You did to an extent." Klara corrected gently.

For a brief instance it seemed as though he knew she was right, but he merely looked at her for a moment and refused to admit to anything. "Is it that time of the month?" He asked with a quirk of his eyebrow. "That why ya so moody?"

Klara immediately smacked his shoulder, shooting him an offended look that finally made him crack a smile. "_No_, it is _not,_ thank you very much." She said, sticking her nose in the air. "Not that it is any of _your _concern, but that will be next week."

"Got it." He said with a nod. Then he finally placed his hands back on her waist and pulled her closer so that he could kiss her. Klara happily responded until he pulled away from her once again, just far enough so that he could speak. "I win, by the way."

Klara shook her head and let out a short laugh. "Do _not _get used to it."

* * *

Klara and Donny saw each other only one more time in that week and before anyone knew it, the night for the two groups to finally have their meeting had approached. Klara agreed to meet with Remy at a checkpoint about halfway to the meeting spot, so that they and the teenagers could arrive together, while Dieter had informed them that he would show up in the clearing with the truck. The original plan had been to move the teenagers the following week, but in the end they had all agreed that since they were going to be gathering in the clearing anyway, they might as well move the three a little bit ahead of schedule and get them on their way to safety that night.

So now the three teenagers sat around her kitchen table, finishing their hearty meals off, while Klara changed for the impending journey. Their plates had all been cleared by the time she was ready to leave and upon entering the kitchen again, the three teenagers stood and looked to her expectantly, seemingly awaiting further instruction. Klara motioned for them to follow her and led them to her study.

"I will go out first." Klara explained once they were by the window. "I will see if the coast is clear then I will whistle for you. Do _not _leave this house until you hear my whistle, understood?" She asked, looking each teenager directly in the eyes.

When all three nodded in understanding, Klara offered an approving nod of her own before turning to the window, opening it, and climbing through. She landed easily on the cobblestone below her window and immediately walked all the way to the end of the alley, studying the surroundings to her left first, then the right. The streets were emptier then usual tonight but this didn't cause her much worry – less people roaming about meant it would be easier to sneak around. Klara checked once more before turning and heading back in the direction she'd come, moving the crate into place under the window as she went past but continuing on without giving any signal so that she could check the front of the house as well, just in case. When she got to the opening of the alleyway, however, she just about had a heart attack.

There, on her porch and about to knock on her front door, was Emmerich. And he had obviously heard her approach because he was now looking in her direction in confusion with his hand still poised to knock. When he realized it was only her, he dropped his hand and took a few steps in her direction. "Miss Bathurst?"

"Emmerich!" She said, her heart suddenly beating wildly while anxiousness spread to every inch of her body. Almost at once her palms began to sweat. "What are you doing here?"

"I was coming to invite you to the tavern with me and my comrades." He informed her before glancing towards the alleyway with an odd expression. "What were you doing in the alley?" He asked curiously, finally making his way down the steps of her porch so that he could come join her.

"I…I…" She stuttered nervously as he approached. "I thought I heard something moving outside of my home and went to investigate." Klara lied quickly. Then she plastered on a smile and put a hand over her heart to play up her performance. "It was a shock to come around the corner and see you there when I was already so frightened."

Emmerich seemed the buy her lie and nodded, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Forgive me for adding to your fright." He said, inclining his head to her for a brief instant. "No doubt a drink might calm your anxiety – shall you join me tonight? Assuming all is well here, of course." He added, eyeing the alleyway for another moment.

"All is well, but I am afraid I cannot join you all the same." Klara told him, hoping that her regretful tone sounded believable. "Thank you, though, for the kind offer."

Emmerich's grin fell and watched her for a long moment, the look on his face now quite unreadable. "You really do not like me, do you?" He asked, catching her off guard.

"No, it is not that!" She lied quickly, hoping to keep him from becoming too angry or upset. Men like him didn't handle rejection well, she'd come to learn that fact all too well. "It is merely getting late and I need to rest. I have a very busy day planned for tomorrow, that is the only reason for my rejection."

There was a stretch of silence before Emmerich nodded and scooped up her hand, kissing the top of it. But where in the past he'd donned a charming smile for moments like these, now he was acting very differently. She didn't know if he'd finally reached his breaking point or not, but something in him had most certainly changed and Klara found that she didn't like the way he was looking at her one bit. It was making her very nervous and even a little afraid – she wasn't able to breathe easier until he finally released her and took a step away.

"Emmerich?" She asked unsurely.

"Have a good night, Miss Bathurst, and get some rest." He said in response. "No doubt I will see you soon enough."

With that being said he then proceeded to turn on his heel and walk away without another glance in her direction, making her stare after him in confusion. What in the world had just happened? One moment he was happy and asking her on a date, the next he had been as cold as an ice sculpture – had he finally gotten the hint? Had she finally managed to get rid of Emmerich? Klara watched him walk away until she couldn't see him anymore, mulling over what had just happened. As much as she wanted to believe that she had finally solved the Emmerich problem, a nagging feeling kept telling her that was more then likely _not _the case.

* * *

Not so surprisingly, her run in with Emmerich had taken up just enough time so that when she and the teenagers finally arrived at the checkpoint Remy was nowhere in sight, his paranoia no doubt making him impatient with her and prompting him to move on to the meeting spot without her. So once Klara was convinced that her partner was nowhere in sight they continued on the all-too-familiar path to the forest – Remy and a very impatient looking Aldo were waiting just inside the tree line when they finally arrived.

"What took you so long?" Remy asked as soon as she led the teenagers over the fence. "Was there a problem?"

"Nothing of importance." She reassured him. "A brief encounter with a Nazi is the reason for my delay."

"Oh yeah, that's nothin'ta be concerned about." Aldo chimed in sarcastically. As Klara and the teenagers joined him and Remy, the American turned suspicious eyes in the direction Klara had just come from. "Did 'e follow ya?"

"No. I made sure he was long gone before venturing this way."

"Good." Aldo said with a sniff. "Let's get this show on the road then."

She, Remy, and the teenagers followed behind Aldo as he led them through the trees to the familiar clearing. There was hardly any light as they made their way deeper into the woods but she could just make out the faces of all the Basterds once they reconvened with the group, her eyes lingering on the handsome one she had just parted ways with only three nights previous. Donny winked at her discreetly in greeting, the corner of his mouth turning up just a bit, and she flashed a quick smile in return.

"Where's yer other man?" Aldo asked, crossing his arms over his chest once he'd come to a halt in the center of the clearing.

"He should arrive any moment." Klara answered before accepting a flask that was suddenly passed to her. She sniffed at it and blanched a bit at the strong smell before passing it on with a shake of her head – Remy accepted it gladly.

While some of the Basterds talked quietly amongst themselves, Donny moved a little closer to her side. "What was the hold up?" He asked in a hushed tone, seemingly uncaring of the looks currently being shared between his comrades as they watched her and Donny interact.

Klara cringed, knowing all too well that he wasn't going to like her answer. "Emmerich." She stated simply.

"That fuck again?" Donny asked in exasperation. He shook her head with a heave and she could tell that he was grinding his teeth in annoyance.

"Unfortunately. But he acted…strangely." She admitted. "I think something may have changed – perhaps he has finally admitted defeat and will leave me be."

"Doubtful." Donny said with a snort. "Ya looks are becomin' a liability." He added.

Klara immediately flashed him an annoyed look. "So sorry that I take care of myself and like to look my best." She retorted, diligently ignoring how vain she sounded right then. "Do you forget that my brother has been attempting to arrange our marriage?" Klara reminded him, causing Donny to grind his teeth again. "If you have a problem, address it to _him_."

"Believe me, I have a _lotta_ problems waiting to be addressed to ya brother…and to that bastard followin' ya around like a lost puppy." Donny told her matter-of-factly, sounding and looking just the slightest bit maniacal as he began to tap his bat impatiently against his shoulder.

Klara felt her brief annoyance with Donny fade away and instead felt a pleasant warmth in its place – Donny's protectiveness over her was endearing and, she had to admit, the fire in him that drove him to punish any and every Nazi in his path was actually something she found to be _very _appealing, even if it did make her question his sanity from time to time. She reached over to him discretely as the other men continued talking amongst themselves, running a hand over his back. When he looked down at her, she offered him a small smile. "And one day, I just might serve them to you on a silver platter."

Donny's eyebrows rose. "What happened to not gettin' involved?"

"I can see when someone needs to be taken care of. My brother is a dangerous man and Emmerich just might prove to be a rather large problem some day if we are not careful. The situation needs to be remedied." She reasoned logically. "Besides…_I _will not be the one wielding the weapon. I shall leave that to you."

Donny stared at her in a way that made heat course through her then let out a slow, heavy breath. "_God_, I want ya right now." He said for only her to hear, his voice a bit huskier then usual.

Klara would have said something in return but Aldo took that moment to interrupt. "Alright, lovebirds. Knock it off over there." He called out. Klara and Donny immediately focused their attention on him as he began to pace around at a leisurely pace, looking to her and Remy with a bit of skepticism. "This third man…he can be trusted right? He wouldn't think this a prime opportunity'ta cut 'imself a deal 'n turn us all in?"

"Of course not." Remy immediately vouched.

As if on cue, the sound of an approaching car caught the attention of the group and made them all look in the direction the sound was coming from. The Basterds readied their guns as the large truck stopped at the edge of the clearing, just in case, then looked to her and Remy questioningly as Dieter flashed his headlights. "That is him." Klara informed them, taking a few steps closer to the truck and watching as Dieter exited the vehicle. The Basterds relaxed (mostly) when the newcomer came to stand in front of his truck and survey the group before him.

"Greetings, everyone." He said calmly, as though they were all old friends meeting for a night out at the tavern. "Before we begin anything, I think I have something we all should see."

There were shared looks of confusion amongst everyone in the group as Dieter walked back to his truck and headed for the passenger side. Klara frowned when he opened up the door, roughly pulling out something – or rather _someone – _who was producing muffled noises and struggling to get out of the German man's firm grasp. Donny was by her side again in a moment, looking on with curiosity, and just about everyone took a step closer to get a better look. When Dieter finally rounded the truck and the moonlight hit the mystery person that he was half-dragging into the clearing, both Donny and Klara looked on in absolute shock.

"Where did you find him?" She asked slowly, her eyebrows furrowing together as she stared at a bound, gagged, and very disheveled looking Emmerich Haugg.

Dieter tightened his hold on his captive as the Nazi fixed his glare on her. "Damn near ran him over with my truck." He revealed. "He was skulking around in the woods about twenty yards back. I believe he was attempting to spy."

"Where there's one there's more." Donny grumbled. A number of the Basterds were eyeing the trees around them untrustingly. "See anyone else?"

"No. Just him."

Klara moved towards Emmerich, their gazes holding steady as she approached, and pulled the handkerchief keeping him silent out of his mouth. "You _fucking_ traitor!" He growled at her in German the moment he was allowed to speak again. "You will burn for this! For helping this scum! For helping the _kikes_! For _everything_!"

The offensive words had her seeing red and before she realized what she was doing, Klara reared back and slapped him hard across the face, her anger momentarily getting the better of her. "You would do _well _to choose your words carefully." She warned dangerously, speaking to him in their native tongue. "And it is not _I_ who will burn, that you can be sure of."

"Do they know?! Do they know who your brother is?!" Emmerich demanded to know, his eyes looking a little wild. "They would surely kill you if they did!"

Klara glared at him for a lingering moment and then turned to face the group. "I am Klara Bathurst, the only sister of Kurt Bathurst." She announced to the Basterds. All of them looked stunned to hear this revelation while a few instantly swung disbelieving eyes in Donny's direction, looking at him as though he had lost his mind for getting involved with her. "And I have been helping Jews escape Europe for over a year now and I plan to do whatever I can to bring down the Hitler and all the monsters working under him." She continued. "If anyone has a problem with this, come forward now."

Though still surprised, none of the Basterds spoke up against her. Klara couldn't help but cast a triumphant smirk down at Emmerich before turning her back on him and rejoining Donny. Aldo came forward to occupy the space she'd just vacated, shooting a look in her direction that could only be described as impressed, then crouched down in front of the fuming mad Nazi so that they could speak face to face.

"Well, had I known we was expectin' company, I would'a gotten a bit more fancied up." He told him with a smile, his voice unusually chipper. "You in a sharin' mood, son?"

Emmerich met Aldo's stare with a challenging look of his own before spitting at the man. "I will never give away anything." He said resolutely as Aldo heaved and wiped at his face. "I am not stupid. I will not survive this."

"And what makes ya say that?"

"Her!" Emmerich growled, nodding towards Klara. "You know I will tell her brother and Landa and every Nazi I have ever known what she has been doing. It will end in her being shunned, tortured, and killed. I know better – you will not let me leave freely from this clearing."

Aldo pursed his lips and then nodded in confirmation, shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah, well, ya have a point there." He conceded. "Any other day I'd offer her up fer information, but I don't think my friend over there'd be too happy with me if I did." He said, motioning to Donny. "And since I kinda need him around, it'd be in my best interest _not_ to hand over 'is woman. Sorry 'bout yer bad luck."

As Aldo's words sunk in, Emmerich turned a disbelieving look on her and Donny. When the Basterd flashed him a condescending smirk, he immediately became enraged. "You let this filth into your bed?" He asked incredulously, addressing her in perfect English so everyone could understand him.

"I fail to see how that is any of your business." Klara responded, even though her lack of denial proved well enough just what the nature of their relationship was.

Emmerich opened his mouth to begin ranting again but Aldo beat him to the punch. "Ya got one more chance'ta talk, son, because we can't be havin' all this yellin' goin' on here." Aldo interrupted sharply, immediately making Emmerich quiet whatever argument he had.

"I would rather die." Emmerich told him bitingly.

Aldo stared at him for a long moment before resigning to the fact that Emmerich wasn't going to talk, standing up, then nodding once to Donny. Donny didn't hesitate as he handed Klara his bat then proceeded to shrug off his jacket. They exchanged their items, Klara flashing him a small, encouraging smile, before Donny began swinging his bat around menacingly as though warming up – though it was obvious Emmerich was trying to hide it, there was the hint of fear on his face with each step the Basterd took in his direction.

"Do your worst, _kike_." Emmerich said as Donny came to a halt in front of him. "I do not fear you."

"Ya should." Donny responded pointedly. "Ya've killed my people, have done God-knows-what to those ya capture, _and_ insulted my girl to my face." He listed off, raising his bat up until the end hovered directly in front of Emmerich's eyes. "And now the only thing between me 'n _you_ is my friend here."

Emmerich eyed the bat in front of him, his eyes almost going cross-eyed as he did so, and then turned his eyes up to Donny. Then, as they glared at one another, he puffed out his chest and jutted his chin into the air, obviously not going to speak anymore and silently telling Donny to proceed. Donny stared at Emmerich menacingly for a long moment before fixing his grip on the bat, leveling it with Emmerich's temple, and then swinging with all his might.

Klara wasn't naïve or ignorant – she knew exactly why Donny was so feared by the Germans. And though he _had _killed someone in front of her before (when he'd rescued her in the bar), this was the first time that she was actually consciously aware of what was happening. The crunch of bone under solid wood, the sickening procession of _THUNK, THUNK, THUNK _as Donny beat the life out of Unterscharführer Emmerich Haugg; even the cheering of the Basterds around her couldn't drown out the sounds. But as disturbing as it was, Klara couldn't bring herself to turn her eyes away. She watched as Donny repeatedly brought his bat down on Emmerich, wincing a little bit each time he made contact – it occurred to her that she probably should have been horrified, should have felt some kind of fear at that moment, but instead Klara found herself almost (strangely) fascinated now that she was seeing Donny in his true element. Fascinated and, truth be told, proud.

The grotesque sounds ceased only seconds later and the clearing went quite, the silence only broken up here and there by a few last cheers of the Basterds and Donny's heavy breathing as he moved away from Emmerich's unrecognizable body. There were smatterings of blood all over him as he came to join her again but he seemed unbothered by it – his focus was trained on her as though he were trying to gauge her reaction to the situation. Klara simply offered a smile, nodded once, then produced a handkerchief from her pocket so that she could pass it over to him.

"Well, this's become an eventful night." Aldo said cheerily as Donny flashed her a smirk and began to wipe his face clean. "'Fraid we can't linger too much longer, though. Anyone could'a heard what was happenin' here." He then rounded on her, Remy, and Dieter. "The main reason we called ya out was so we can all finally see each other. Gets'a little tricky out there 'n the last thing we want is'ta mistakenly injure a friendly should we happen'ta cross paths unexpectantly."

"Of course." Remy responded. "And _we_ want you to be clear that we will have no part in your operations." He continued on, leaving no room for argument. "We support what you do and hold you in the highest regard for it, but it is far too dangerous to our mission if we risk our lives in the way that you do."

Aldo considered Remy's words for a moment and then nodded in understanding. "I read ya clearly, friend." He said, moving forward to shake Remy's hand – Remy eyed it for a moment before shaking his hand firmly. "And on behalf'a all my men, I'd like'ta say how much we 'preciate what you three been doin'."

"Thank you."

After that everyone began to prepare to depart. Dieter went to round up the Jewish teenagers, ushering them in the direction of the truck, while the Basterds all began to collect their things. Klara firmly kept her attention on anything _but _Emmerich's body and turned towards Donny instead, offering a small smile as he closed a bit of the distance between them. "What did I promise? Silver platter." She informed him.

Donny nodded and then passed over her handkerchief with a grimace. "Sorry 'bout the blood…" He apologized.

"Do not worry over it." She told him with a shake of her head, plucking up the bloody kerchief and slipping it back into the pocket of her jacket.

Donny glanced around to see if anyone was paying attention to them, which nobody really was, then reached out to run a hand up and down the length of her arm. "Ya alright after seein' that?"

Klara sucked in a breath and then nodded. "Yes, I am fine." She answered reassuringly. "He was a Nazi – there is no knowing how many terrible things he did."

He nodded again in agreement then frowned, lowering his voice when he spoke up again. "Listen, I don't wanna lecture…" He started.

"I know. I made a mistake and I apologize for it." She finished for him with a sigh. "This could have turned out much differently." She then admitted. "I must be more watchful from now on."

"Yeah, ya should." He agreed. "I know ya won't give this up, it means too much to ya. So just…be careful. Watch ya back."

Klara nodded. "I will." She readily agreed.

"Donowitz! Get your bat and let's go!" One of the Basterds called to him.

Donny glanced in the direction of his comrade for a second before turning to Klara and kissing her despite the fact that they were not alone. Remy and Dieter were saying their goodbyes when she and Donny parted again and she waved to her friend in parting, smiling as he hopped back into the truck, turned on the engine, then went driving off. "Go." She said to Donny as Remy began to make his way towards them. "I will see you soon."

He nodded but then looked over at Remy questioningly. "Can ya at least stay with her part of the way?" He requested.

Remy nodded once in agreement. "Yes."

Donny seemed pleased to hear this and turned back to her so he could kiss the top of her head. "Go on." Klara urged when another Basterd began impatiently calling for him.

"Alright." He said. "Love you."

"And I love you."

As the sound of Dieter's truck disappearing into the darkness faded away, Donny pressed one last short kiss to her lips before snatching up his belongings and then trailing after his comrades. He waved goodbye to her one last time at the edge of the clearing just before ducking into the brush and disappearing from sight, leaving Klara to suck in a breath and then release it heavily. _Be safe_, she thought to herself.

"Well, that went smoothly." Remy said, catching her attention.

"I suppose." Klara agreed with a shrug. When the two of them turned to leave she couldn't help but pull a face when she had to step around Emmerich's dead body – she hesitated, however, when two remaining Basterds trailed behind them and grabbed the body by the ankles. Both saluted Klara and Remy before beginning to drag the body away.

Remy shot her a look and she shrugged. "I do not want to know."

"Me neither."

And with that, the clearing was vacated and fell silent again, leaving no signs of what had just transpired with Klara and her men, the Basterds, and the Nazi whose curiosity had ended up being his demise.

* * *

**A/N: Review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: And this is where the story starts to get good!**

**I must say, I've really gotten back into the swing of things when it comes to this story. I have ideas all the time and cant wait to come home so I can write and it feels damn good! Glad that so many of you are still on board!**

**Anyway, without further ado, here's the next chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing.**

Hans Landa had always known himself to be a smart man.

He was quick witted, he was educated in the ways of the world, and he was, above all else, an excellent detective. He had trained and led many soldiers in his day, trying to morph them into replicas of himself, and had always had an eye for talent – it was easy for him to discern those who were skilled and would go far, those who were weak and would fall, and even those who would lose their nerve and someday betray the Fuhrer himself. His perceptiveness was one of his greatest allies and it was rare that anything would slip through the cracks under his supervision.

This was why he currently sat in his office, feeling absolutely frustrated and puzzling over two very disconcerting pieces of paper currently laid out neatly on his desk.

Landa leaned back in his chair, his fingertips pressed together as he rolled the worlds around his head and tried to make sense of it all. With a sigh he reached forward, snatching up the paper on the left and rising it up to eyelevel – this telegram had arrived on his desk barely three weeks ago, and while to most of the world the message would seem insignificant, any German soldier or anyone involved with the Nazi regime in _any_ way would feel the exact same concern that he currently did upon reading it.

He only skimmed over the words now, having already read them many times before. The telegram had been sent by a soldier whose name did not concern him – the sender had been asked to get this message to Landa by _another_ Nazi by the name of Emmerich Haugg. The name sounded vaguely familiar to him, though he could not place how, but it was the message, not the man, that was causing him distress. As Landa's eyes quickly darted over the telegram for what had to be the sixtieth time in two days, these were the words that stuck out the most:

_Suspicious behavior. Late night activity. Klara Bathurst. _

The rest of the message went on to explain to him that the sender had run into Haugg while on his way back to the military base in Paris – Haugg had seemed perturbed by an encounter with Klara Bathurst and asked the sender to get word to Landa, fearing that the woman was up to something, before leaving to pursue Bathurst and find out for himself. Landa stared at the paper for only one more moment before placing it neatly back on his desk, smoothing his hand out over the document to lay it flat before reaching for the telegram next to it. This one had arrived only two days ago and his frown deepened as he read over it again. After receiving the disturbing message from Haugg, Landa had requested that every piece of information from the soldier come directly to his desk. And _this_ was the only piece of information to arrive:

_Unterscharführer Emmerich Haugg found dead just outside of Paris. Appears to have been beat to death with blunt object. Hair on scalp has been removed. Believed to be victim of the Basterds, specifically the one known as 'Bear Jew'. Estimated time of death – two to three weeks ago._

There was something highly odd about all of this and Landa could not shake the feeling that there was something he was missing. First Haugg had been suspicious of Klara, then he had wound up dead. Now Landa knew Klara's brother well, trusted him like he trusted no other, and therefore he found that he not want to believe that the woman would be involved with _any _Nazi soldier's death. But in the end Landa had to remind himself that he could not be distracted by her lineage, nor his soft spot for her, and face the fact that he did not _truly_ know Klara Bathurst. There was no glaring proof that she was a traitor but Haugg had wound up dead within days, maybe even hours, of sending the message because he had decided to follow her. This was not something to be overlooked.

A knock on the door pulled him from his reverie and he quickly hid the message from Haugg before straightening up in his chair. "Enter." He called out before setting down the telegram that had informed him of Haugg's death.

The door opened to reveal his right hand man, Kurt Bathurst. The thirty-year-old soldier strode in with all the confidence in the world, offering a quick, respectful bow to his fellow German, before settling into the chair opposite of Landa once he was motioned to do so. "You sent for me, Hans?" Kurt asked, settling in and getting comfortable as he watched his superior.

"Yes, I did." He confirmed. "I wish to speak with you about something." He continued, picking up the telegram again. "I have received a telegram, one that frustrates me greatly. I would like for you to read it and tell me what you think of it." Landa said before handing the message over to Kurt.

Kurt accepted the paper with a concentrated frown on his face, quickly skimming over it. Landa watched as his studious expression melted first into surprise, then into disappointment. His lips pressed together into a tight line and he heaved before holding up the telegram, looking to Landa with raised eyebrows. "When did you receive this?"

"Two mornings ago." Landa answered. "I asked that any messages involving the Basterds be sent to me." He lied smoothly, finding no need to tell his partner that he had growing suspicions against his sister just yet. "But the name in this message – this Emmerich fellow – sounds familiar to me, though I cannot remember how. Do you recognize it?"

"Yes. He is – or _was_ – a soldier stationed outside of Paris." Kurt answered, handing Landa the message back. "I met him on a few occasions. He was attempting to court my sister, Klara." He revealed. "I had wishes for them to marry, make her settle down with a decent Nazi soldier. I believe I told you of this, perhaps that is why the name sounds familiar to you."

As Landa's mind processed the information that Kurt had just offered up, he quickly recalled the day when his partner had told him of his plans to arrange the pairing. At the time it had made him rather jealous, even a bit angry, since he'd always been fond of the much younger but very beautiful woman. But now, as he realized that Emmerich had been involved with Klara (or at least had been attempting to be) his suspicions began to increase tenfold.

"Killed by the Basterds – such a shame." Kurt continued, clicking his tongue in disappointment. "Hans, I truly begin to fear for my sister's safety. This is the second problem relating to the Basterds that has occurred near her home. I worry she is unsafe being in Paris by herself." Kurt explained, frowning again.

Had he heard him correctly? There had been other problems with the Basterds near Klara's home? This was _certainly _news to Landa. "To which other incident do you refer?" Landa asked, cocking his head to the side as he studied the younger man in front of him.

"Klara told me there had been a sighting of a Basterd near her home about two months ago. It was The Bear Jew, if I recall correctly – he was running the streets near her home when she was returning late one night. It is lucky he did not take her into captivity, the barbarian." Kurt explained, his words taking on a tone of anger as he recounted the story.

Landa's mind immediately began to work at a rapid pace. The Bear Jew near Klara's home, Klara herself suspiciously wandering the streets of Paris at night, and then Emmerich Haugg, a man yearning for Klara's attention, turning up dead at the hand of The Bear Jew after following her.

Could it be true? Could Klara Bathurst _actually _be involved with one of the Basterds? It would be only too easy for her to scamper around under the radar – she was a beautiful German woman and just so happened to be the sister of the great Kurt Bathurst; she would need only mention her brother's name or use her charms to get herself out of a tight spot, especially where young, foolish, hormone-driven Nazi's were concerned. There was no way to know what she was getting up to just yet, but as he mulled over all of the things that he and Kurt had just discussed, he found himself beginning to doubt Klara entirely.

Landa tapped his fingers on the desk for a moment before pulling out his tobacco pipe and lighting it up, allowed the tobacco calm his thoughts and get them back in order. He would have to go to Paris. He'd have to see Klara for himself and see if he could find out all of her dirty little secrets. There were no other options.

"Hans? Is everything alright?"

Landa finally snapped himself out of his thoughts and nodded to Kurt with a small smile, his usual cool mask of indifference settling on his features again. "Of course. I was simply lost in my own thoughts." Kurt didn't look entirely convinced but didn't question Landa further as he began rustling through the papers on his desk. "I understand your concern for your sister's safety, Kurt, and though we shall be attending the premiere of _Stolz Der Nation_ in Paris soon enough, I will assign a local solider to keep an eye on Klara's home until further notice. If the Basterds are targeting Nazi soldiers _or_ their family members, I fear that Klara is far too easily recognizable. And since they have blatantly targeted someone involved with Klara, I think it is safe to say that she needs a guard."

Kurt pulled a face at this, looking a little unsure of what Landa had just said. "She will not be happy about that. She does not like to be coddled."

"It is for her safety. And she does not have to know." Hans retorted with an authoritative tone. Kurt nodded in agreement then and did not put up further argument.

There was something very odd going on in France, that much Landa was sure of. And with Klara unknowingly under surveillance, he was sure that he would find out just what the woman was getting up to while he and her brother were not in the country. Part of him hoped he was wrong and that everything was just a strange coincidence, but if there was treason occurring in Paris, then by God he would go there himself to remedy the situation. No matter _who_ ended up having to pay the price for it.

* * *

It had been nearly a month, one glorious month, since the death of Emmerich Haugg and Klara had felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. In the back of her mind she knew that the impending return of her brother (and eventually Landa) would bring back all of her stress tenfold, but for now she could truly say that she was content with the way things were going in her world. Without the constant worry that Emmerich might turn up at the worst possible moment, everything had not only been running much smoother for her and her comrades, butfor her and Donny as well.

Surprisingly, Donny had been given more leeway to come and visit her on a more frequent basis whenever they were staying near her home, a development to which she had no complaints. Things had certainly changed between them since their argument and they had changed for the better – she knew now that their relationship wasn't just a passing fancy and that she was not just some unimportant woman to occupy his free time while he was in France, and that was more then she could have ever asked or hoped for from him.

Klara, of course, knew it wasn't wise to dream of a more permanent future for the two of them, but with every day that passed where she didn't get caught and where he didn't die only encouraged her further. She hadn't ever really allowed herself to think of the future or to try and see anything between them past the war, but recently she hadn't been able to stop the thoughts from entering her mind. Klara knew very well that Donny wouldn't stay in Europe once his job was finished, so that left only one option – if he wanted her to come with him, she'd go with him to America. It was a thought that had both terrified and excited her whenever she first thought of it but she had quickly tried to brush it off and not let herself get carried away. She and Donny first had to figure out how to make it out of this mess alive. _Then _they could begin to plan a future.

The only thing that Klara now had to complain about, as she awoke to the sound of chipper birds one sunny Wednesday morning, was the dreadful virus she'd had for over a week now. Shoshanna had been wonderful by taking care of her whenever Donny wasn't around to do it, but Klara just couldn't seem to shake the illness. Every day she felt exhausted and achy and it was nearly impossible to keep any food down. This morning, just as she expected, she found herself reaching quickly for the trash bin Donny had left her the previous night to empty out whatever was left in her stomach.

"Why God?" She asked miserably as she turned onto her back again and heave for air, not even bothering to wipe the sweat off of her brow. "What have I done to deserve this?"

Feeling thoroughly disgusted with the state of herself, Klara managed to crawl her way to the bathroom some ten minutes later so that she could rinse out her mouth before opting to just stay there and lay on the cool tile. The coldness of the floor felt wonderful against her achy body and warm skin, and though she was dreadfully uncomfortable lying on the hard floor, she didn't dare move from the only relief she'd had in days.

She wasn't sure how long she lay there, praying to God to end her misery, but sometime later she heard a key slide into the lock of her front door just before it opened and closed, signaling the arrival of whom she could only assume was Shoshanna.

"Klara?" Her friend called out. "I have come to babysit you! How are you feeling this morning?"

The woman's footsteps headed off for the kitchen and Klara listened as her friend moved around in her home, trying to gather up the strength to call out to her. She heard the sound of the tap in her kitchen being turned on before Shoshanna's footsteps finally drew closer a few moments later – she knew the moment that Shoshanna had found her because the approaching footfalls came to an abrupt halt just outside of the bathroom. Klara lifted her head just slightly so that she could see the concerned look on her friend's face.

"Oh, Klara. You look like death." Shoshanna said sympathetically, setting down the glass of water she had gotten before kneeling down to press her hand against Klara's forehead. "How long have you been here?"

"I am not sure…" Klara answered wearily. "I have never been so miserable or tired in my entire life. I barely get any sleep because I cannot stop vomiting and I am starving, yet I cannot hold down any food. It is as though God is punishing me, though for what I do not know."

Shoshanna smiled gently and then hooked her hands underneath Klara's armpits to help her sit up, leaning her back against the wall. "He is not punishing you." She told her matter-of-factly. "Trust me. If he were to punish _anyone_ at this moment in time, it would _not _be you dear friend. There are far worse people in the world."

"Then my body is simply rebelling against me." Klara said with a dramatic huff. "This is the price I pay for turning into a scarlet woman." She added distatefully.

When Shoshanna laughed at this, Klara turned a weak glare on her. "Do shut up." Her friend quipped before helping Klara stand up. "Come on, then, back into bed with you." Shoshanna urged, leading her into her bedroom before helping her back into bed. "Listen…" She began to say slowly as she reached for the washcloth Donny had been using to cool her forehead down with the night before. "I do not wish to alarm you, but it appears that you have someone watching your house."

Klara frowned and looked at her uneasily as Shoshanna began pressing the cloth to her forehead and face. "How do you know this?"

"For the past three days that I have been coming here there has been a car parked down the street. I had never seen it before a few days ago yet it hasn't appeared to move since I first spotted it. And the man in the car always is the same." Shoshanna explained, looking a bit worried. "He finally only moved when I went to confront him just now. As soon as he saw me coming for him, he immediately left."

Klara sat up quickly with an alarmed expression but then immediately grabbed her head as the abrupt movement caused her to become rather dizzy. She allowed Shoshanna to usher her back down but Klara's mind was racing with this information. "Shoshanna, this is bad." Klara told her in a frightened tone. "What if he has seen Donny coming to my home?" She asked her. "They will think I am helping the Basterds and then come for me!"

"No, they will not." Shoshanna reassured her. "It was not easy, but I sought out Donny and told him what I had seen. He is being careful, though it was hard to convince him not to say anything to you about it."

Klara calmed down a bit at this and then sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Someone is suspicious of me, that is the only explanation. Otherwise there would not be someone spying on me." She mumbled before shaking her head. "Someone must suspect me to be involved with Emmerich's death."

"I would not get too worked up over this just yet." Shoshanna advised. "Not until you know more details. Until then, I suggest you maintain a low profile and do _not _take any more families into your home. It is not safe."

Klara almost wanted to laugh at Shoshanna's words – maintain a low profile? She could hardly move as it was. "Like I am in any condition to help anybody." Klara scoffed cynically. "I am barely functioning as is."

"Ah, yes. Now that you mention it, there _is_ one more thing." Shoshanna continued on, pursing her lips as she regarded her friend warily.

"And what is that? The Fuhrer himself is coming to visit?" Klara asked sarcastically.

"Close. I rang for a doctor."

Klara immediately groaned in protest. "You _know _I hate doctors."

"Yes, I know, but this has gone on quite long enough." Shoshanna chastised. "You need medicine or this could be the death of you. Just look at you! Skin and bones." She said, fussing over her for a moment. Then Shoshanna glanced at the clock on Klara's bedside table and nodded. "He should be here any moment."

And, like clockwork, a knock sounded on the door a moment later. Klara released a long heave as Shoshanna left her side to go answer the door. The German woman listened as her friend greeted the doctor, vaguely explaining some of the symptoms as they made their way to the bedroom, before they both appeared in her doorway. The doctor was a portly gentleman in his mid forties and he smiled at her through a large, bushy mustache before settling himself on the edge of her bed.

"Good morning, Miss Bathurst. Your friend here tells me you are in a great deal of pain?" He said pleasantly to her in French. "Would you like to further elaborate for me?"

Klara shot one last withering glare in Shoshanna's direction before nodding and forcing herself to sit up a bit straighter. "I have been sick for over a week now. I cannot keep anything I eat down, I am exhausted, my body is terribly achy…I feel as though death itself is upon me."

"Well, I am here to help." He answered before pulling out a stethoscope and attaching it around his neck.

He went through the usual motions by checking her heart rate, listening to her breathing, and poking at her body with his stubby fingers. She winced here and there at his movements and watched him warily as he made a thoughtful sounds every now and again, staring at her with a calculating look as he tried to determine what was ailing her. He began to poke around on her stomach a bit and when he got to her lower belly, he pursed his lips.

"Miss Bathurst, I must ask…when was your last menstruation cycle?"

Klara's eyebrows shot up so high that they nearly disappeared into her hairline, and for a moment she could only open and close her mouth as she struggled to remember. With everything that had been happening since meeting Donny in the spring time, she hadn't really been keeping track. And with a sinking feeling, Klara realized that she couldn't pinpoint the last time she had actually had her cycle. Her heart began to speed up as Shoshanna's eyes widened.

"I…I…I do not remember." Klara finally admitted.

The doctor smiled and began to pack up his bags, clearly having made his assessment – she suddenly felt as though she might be sick again. "Miss Bathurst, I do believe that you are experiencing many symptoms of a pregnant woman. I do not wish to jump to conclusions so quickly without further information, so perhaps you could gather the strength to come into my office so that we may do further tests and be confident in our answer?"

_Pregnant_? She couldn't be! This wasn't in the plan, this wasn't something that she was prepared for. "But…sir, there must be a mistake. I cannot be pregnant!"

"You cannot be or do not want to believe you can be?" He retorted quizzically.

Klara gulped and closed her eyes, sucking in a deep breath. She and Donny hadn't been careful and she knew that. This shouldn't be coming as such a surprise to her when this was a risk they had been taking all along. "I do not wish to believe I can be." She finally said softly, meeting his gaze guiltily.

"But it is a possibility?"

Klara simply nodded. Shoshanna looked like she may fall over from shock at any moment but when the doctor turned to her, she quickly pulled herself together. Klara, on the other hand, brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose. How could she have been so blind to the obvious answer? This was why she had been so hormonal and moody as of recent weeks and this was why she had been so sick lately. What was she going to do now? And further more, what was Donny going to say about this when she finally told him?

Shoshanna agreed to bring Klara in to the doctor's office later that day and once the man had left, Shoshanna sat down next to her with a concerned look. "Are you alright?" She asked, reaching for Klara's hand.

"I cannot tell Donny." Klara said quickly. "He has so much to deal with already. This will be too large of a distraction to him."

"Klara, this is not something you should hide from him." Shoshanna said gently.

"I know!" Klara snapped before taking a calming breath. "I know." She said again, this time in a gentler tone. "I just need to wait for the right time. He will not be able to concentrate on what he has to do if he is worried about the woman he impregnated. If I am…_pregnant_," the word was hard to get out, "I have to keep this to myself until he is finished with his duties in France."

"And what if it takes him nine months?" Shoshanna asked uncertainly.

Klara sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "If I am indeed pregnant, I will have to deal with that circumstance if it comes to it." She answered with a nod. Then she looked to Shoshanna with a pleading gaze. "Do you think less of me?"

"Of course not." Shoshanna said, pulling her into a hug. When she pulled back, she pulled a face. "Forgive me, but I _do _think less of you because of the way you smell."

Klara forced a smile onto her face and nodded. "I do as well. Help me to the bathroom so I may wash. Then I will let you take me to the doctor." She said softly.

Shoshanna nodded before offering a comforting smile. "Whatever happens…I am here for you."

Klara smiled a genuine smile then and squeezed her hand. "Thank you."

**A/N: Yessssssssss. Review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Oh, em, gee. How much do you guys hate me?! **

**I hadn't realized how long it had been since I wrote this story but it's been a super long time. I just had HORRIBLE writers block on this chapter and I finally got through it and can now feel the words coming. So I think you can all be prepared for some frequent updates…yay! Besides, when you think about it, there isn't that many chapter left. This story is almost done so it WILL be finished!**

**Anyway, here it is. Hang onto your socks, we're about to take off here! **

**Disclaimer: Own nothing related to Inglourious Basterds!**

Klara sighed as she leaned her head against the window, trying to let the cool glass ease her mounting headache. It was nighttime now and she looked out of the window and into the yard of the house next to her. She didn't know her neighbors in the slightest, having kept to herself since moving to Paris, but she knew it was an elderly couple next door and they were often visited by their three young grandchildren. There was a children's playground set up in their well kept yard and she gulped as she realized that something similar to this setup was in her near future.

She was pregnant. Absolutely, one hundred percent, pregnant. A little over six weeks, the doctor had said.

After leaving the doctor's office that afternoon and him confirming that she was with child, Klara had been very quiet. Shoshanna had looked worried when she left, but left Klara to her own thoughts, knowing her friend needed time to think. Her thoughts had been so jumbled with all of the new worries presented to her that she had barely registered that they had made it back to her house. She couldn't be caught now because it wasn't just her life in danger, but also her unborn child's. If Donny were to be killed now, their son or daughter would never know his or her father. Her body filled with anxiety at the thought and she had immediately felt the ache behind her eyes growing stronger.

Everything was going to change now and it seemed a regular pattern in her life by this point – something serious would happen, whether to her country or herself, and then the outcome of her life would be affected by it. First her parents had died, making Kurt join the SS and eventually forcing her to flee Germany because of his plans for her. Then, innocent people were being killed left and right, causing her to take a stand which eventually led her into the arms of Donny. And now they were going to be parents…_parents._ She grabbed for her cup of hot tea, staring at it for a moment and wishing it could be filled with something stronger, before taking a long sip. She soaked in the silence of her home and tried to relax. After all, in the near future she wouldn't be awarded many times of silence.

Despite the surprise and anxiety, Klara did not regret the baby. Sure the new life wasn't planned, but he or she had been made by two people who loved each other. And even though she knew it to be a morbid thought, Klara knew that no matter what happened to Donny, now she would always have a piece of him with her in their child.

Klara shook her head and leaned her head back against the wall behind her. She really mustn't think like that. She'd always believed that everything happened for a reason and obviously the relationship she'd been having with Donny in the past few months was meant to be, it just _had_ to be. And this child was going to survive and going to persevere come hell or high water. She had to believe and cling to that thought, because what God would bring a child into the world of two people in grave danger unless the situation was going to turn out alright? Then again, what God would let so many people suffer because of the will of one cruel man?

Klara decided that her hormones were getting the better of her and that she needed to deliver herself into the arms of sleep before she drove herself mad with her deranged thoughts. She set her cup in the sink as she pushed herself away from the window and headed towards her bedroom, running her hands through her hair.

One thing was definitely certain; if Kurt ever found out about her pregnancy or who the father was, he'd probably toss her in jail himself and hide the key to where no one could find it.

* * *

It was hard to act normal around Donny in the week following her visit with the doctor.

She had no idea how she was going to be able to keep a secret of this magnitude from the father of her child but just couldn't bring herself to tell him yet. Klara knew that it was wrong to keep the truth from him but felt she would only put him at risk by telling him about the pregnancy – he would be worried, he would be distracted, and if he wasn't properly concentrating then he would get himself killed. So she kept her mouth shut and tried to behave like she always did around him, valiantly attempting to ignore the nagging voice in her head that urged her to tell Donny about the child growing inside of her. But try as she might, the weight of her new secret began to take its toll and she found herself unwillingly behaving oddly around him – whenever his hands got close to her stomach or he tried to get intimate with her, she would begin to close up or find another means of distraction.

And her odd behavior had _not _gone unnoticed by Donny.

"Alright, what the fuck's goin' on?" Donny demanded one night, crossing his arms and staring at her with a frustrated look.

"What do you mean?" Klara asked casually as she cleaned the dishes they had used for their dinner.

"Don't treat me like a moron." He snapped.

"I am not." Klara said in exasperation, looking at him over her shoulder. "I genuinely am confused as to what you are speaking of."

They stared at each other for a long moment, both challenging the other to speak, and Klara's heart sank as he finally threw his hands in the air and stormed out of the room. She immediately turned off the water in the sink and hurried after him, wiping her hands on her skirt. He was shrugging his jacket back on by the time she had caught up to him. "Donny…"

"Don't, alright?" He said angrily. "If you're havin' second thoughts, ya shoulda told me like an adult. I don't have time for mindless games, Bathurst." He finished gruffly, zipping his jacket roughly.

"I am _not_ having second thoughts." Klara said, grabbing for his arm as he went to walk away. He didn't turn around to face her so she placed herself in front of him instead, attempting to meet his gaze. He was looking anywhere but her until she placed her hands on his neck, forcing his eyes down to hers. "I swear it, Donny. I am _not_. I love you."

"Then why are ya actin' so damn weird?"

She sighed and released him to rub her forehead. "Kurt will be here any day now." She explained, not completely lying but also not telling the whole truth. "And Landa will be with him. It is just always a stressful time when they are here, alright?" _Plus I am pregnant with your child and terrified to tell you about it, _she added in her head. "Forgive me." She finished.

Donny seemed to accept her answer because he instantly looked far less irritated. "Why couldn't ya just tell me that to start with?" He questioned.

"I suppose I did not want to talk about it."

"I had to know at some point, unless ya decided to turn me in instead." Donny said with a smirk.

"Not at all, you stubborn and irrational fool." She said with a smile before grasping his jacket and pushing it back off his shoulders. He pulled a face at the names she called him but didn't say anything about it. "Please do not leave me." She pleaded, tossing his jacket away.

"I won't." He said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before following her back into the kitchen when she went to finish the dishes. This time he helped her dry them and put them away in their proper places. "Ya brother was just here, wasn't he? Why's he comin' back?"

"For a movie premiere." She answered with a shrug of her shoulder. "He wrote to me about it, said that it was going to be a very popular event. He wants me to come with him so that I can 'meet new people'." Then she scoffed and shook her head. "He will probably be trying to arrange another marriage for me."

"Remind me before I kill him to thank ya brother for serving me Nazis on a silver platter." Donny said sarcastically.

"Plan on killing the competition?" Klara asked with a laugh, feeling a bit more like her normal self around him now.

"What competition?" Donny asked egotistically.

She smiled at him as they finished with the dishes and then shut off the water. His eyes were on her as she walked up to him and he watched in silence as she removed the German dog-tags from around his neck and placed them on the counter. When she turned back to him he leaned his head down to kiss her shoulder, pulling her in close as she brought a hand to his hair and toyed with the slicked back strands absentmindedly.

"Why don't ya have any people in the room?" Donny asked after a brief stretch of silence, catching her off guard.

Immediately her thoughts flew back to the meeting she'd had with Remy a few nights previous. She had met with him in the old bar after insisting that it was urgent and he come straight away, where she had then told him about her pregnancy and finally informed him that, for the time being, she couldn't help anymore Jews escape Europe. Klara was afraid for the life of her child, yes, but having Jews in her home when Landa would be there was suicide.

"Hiding Jews in my home when the _Jew Hunter _is near is suicidal." She told Donny simply.

"True." He agreed. "I'm glad ya feelin' better." He murmured, kissing her neck. The gesture sent a shiver down her spine and she clung to him tightly. "I don't think I could stomach one more day of vomit." He admitted with a shudder.

_If only he knew…_

"Yes. I agree." She said with a bit of a forced smile before she released him to open up a bottle of wine.

Sometimes, when they were allowed to enjoy rare nights like these, she found it strange how normal everything between them seemed. Despite the war that was taking place and the fact that Donny would certainly be shot on sight if he were ever caught wandering the streets, it felt so right to just be standing in the kitchen with him and participating in something as simple as doing the dishes together. Whenever they were together like this they would talk about their days, Donny would tell her stories of some of the things he did whenever he was away from her, and she had even gotten into the habit of stitching the worn hems and tears in his clothes. She'd tried once or twice, but it was hard to imagine what a life with Donny would be like under milder circumstances. When she had first met Donny he was just a brute of a man that killed Nazis for a living but surely would have done it just for fun. Would they have still been with each other in this way if they had met in a café or perhaps in the park?

Yes, they had been brought together under strange circumstances but she couldn't bring herself to regret it. Because even though they were both in danger, they had managed to find each other and fall in love – the baby growing inside of her was proof enough of that. What would happen when the war was over though and they were free to be with one another?

A nudge to her side yanked her out of her thoughts and she blinked before looking over at Donny questioningly. "Ya alright there?" He asked her in amusement. "Ya kinda…left for a second."

"I was just…thinking." She said with a shrug.

"And ya been uncorkin' that bottle for two minutes." He added with a smirk. "What had ya thinkin' so hard?"

Klara blushed and took the cork out of the bottle before pouring wine for the both of them. Should she tell him about some of the things she'd been wondering about? Was it a good idea to delve into the 'what if's with him?

"Okay, ya freakin' me out." Donny said in concern, dropping his hands onto her shoulders.

"Alright, I will ask." She said with a sigh. "What happens…if Hitler is killed?"

Donny frowned in confusion, looking unsure of where she was going with this question. "Well…I'd imagine the war would be over." Donny said slowly. "Why?"

"If there is no more war, then what will become of us?" She finally asked.

Donny nodded slowly, dropping his hands from her shoulders and placing them into the pockets of his pants. "So you're asking where we stand once the war's over." He deciphered.

"Yes." She confirmed, feeling a bit nervous as to what his answer might be.

He thought about it for a long moment, his lips pursed with concentration as he seemed to genuinely contemplate his answer, then reached for the wine glass and took a long drink from it. The pause probably wasn't as long as it felt, but it was still long enough to start to eat away at her nerves. Then, when she really thought she was going to collapse with anxiety thanks to her new pregnancy hormones, he finally spoke up. "I guess the only decision we have to make at that point is whether it's Boston or Germany."

The answer was a huge relief to her and she smiled before pulling him in for a fervent kiss. It was a foolish notion to dwell on dreams of a future, but at least she knew that should they make it out of that that she _had _a future with Donny. Now that she knew he wanted to try to make it work she wanted more then ever to tell him about the baby – it absolutely pained her not to tell Donny about the life growing inside of her right then.

They were pulled from their moment by a knock on her door. Klara jumped while Donny frowned, turning his head to look towards the door as though it would tell him who was there. It was late, nearly midnight, so she had no idea who could possibly be calling on her so late. Unless…

"Expecting someone?" Donny asked, clearly on alert.

"No, unless Kurt has come early…" She trailed off. Donny stiffened and then nodded for her to go forward and see who had arrived. She only looked at him incredulously. "Are you mad? What if it is Kurt? Or Landa? You need to hide."

"Just go see who it is, Klare." He insisted a little too innocently.

His demeanor immediately sparked suspicion within her. "You will _not _kill my brother in my home." She said accusingly, pointing a finger into his face. For a moment she thought he had the look of a child caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar, but he masked it quickly and waved her hand away.

"Klara? Are you awake?" A muffled voice asked through the door.

At once Klara relaxed and she slapped his shoulder in annoyance before striding over to the door and opening it up to reveal Shoshanna. "Shoshanna, you nearly gave me a heart attack." She said irritably in French. "Have you any idea how late it is?"

Shoshanna looked a bit guilty for a moment but shrugged anyway. "I was on my way home from closing down the theater and saw your light on. I wanted to come and check on you." She explained. "How are you feeling?"

"I am fine." Klara answered before glancing back at Donny, who was getting his things together while casting curious glances in her direction. She waved him off as a way of silently telling him that everything was alright before focusing her attention back on her blonde friend. "Why don't you come in?"

Shoshanna nodded and stepped in, freezing in place when she realized that Donny was there. As far as Klara knew, she had only seen him once before. And since Donny was currently sporting a good amount of scruff from lack of shaving and wild hair from Klara's fingers, he looked rather more menacing then usual. It didn't help that his large frame was taking up most of the doorway he was standing in, making him look even larger then he was. Klara smiled at Shoshanna and stepped to Donny's side, pulling him into the room by his hand.

"Shoshanna, you remember Donny?" She introduced in English.

"Yes, of course." She confirmed, nodding to him in greeting. "How are you?"

"Just fine." He said with a nod. "And yourself?"

"Fine."

Donny then looked down at Klara and offered her a quick smile. "I should head out." He said, pulling her off to the side a bit as Shoshanna tried to look anywhere but at them. "We're headin' to Nadine here at the end of the week." He continued quietly for only her to hear. "So I'll try to come by again. Just leave a sign if your brother's here."

"I will." She said before kissing him. "Be careful. I love you."

"Love you, too." He responded before heading towards the study to slip out of the side window. "Shoshanna." He said with a nod in her direction. "Nice to see you again."

"You as well." Shoshanna responded with a bit of a dumbfounded expression on her face.

"Goodnight, ladies." Then he slipped out of the room and then out of the house.

Klara looked back at Shoshanna once they were alone and laughed a bit at her bewildered expression. "Oh, yes, and by the way, Donny is here." She teased in French before heading back into the kitchen.

"He looks scarier then I remember." Shoshanna said thoughtfully, trailing behind her. "But seems rather…_sweet_ with you, if I dare say it."

"He can be barbaric when the occasion calls for it but is perfectly lovely with me." She agreed with a short laugh. Klara then poured the younger girl a glass of wine and offered it to her. Shoshanna accepted it gratefully and took a long drink, closing her eyes to savor it. "Did you have a bad day?"

"Just an irritating end to a decent day." She said, a scowl forming on her face. "A soldier came by the theater, a German. He seemed infatuated and took some convincing to be rid of. He unnerved me." She went on to reveal, seemingly mulling over whatever had occurred outside of her theater.

"Do you remember his name?" Klara asked curiously.

"Some fool named Zoller." She said with a dismissive wave.

"_Fredrick _Zoller?" Klara asked with raised eyebrows.

"You know him?" Shoshanna asked with a nod.

"No, but I know _of _him. You remember the premiere that my brother is coming for? Well the movie is about Zoller. He killed many soldiers in battle." She explained. "He is _very_ popular amongst Germans and I believe he may even be an acquaintance of Kurt's."

"Wonderful." Shoshanna said sarcastically.

"Be careful around him." Klara warned. "I have heard stories."

"I am always careful." Shoshanna shot back. She pulled out a cigarette and held it up, asking permission to smoke it. When Klara nodded, the younger blonde lit the cigarette and took a deep drag, obviously much more relaxed now that she was in her friend's company. "What happened with the car outside of your house?" She asked. "Must be gone if Donny is visiting so often."

"I have not seen it for days." Klara said with a shrug, sipping her wine. "Maybe they decided I had become a bore to watch."

"Regardless, you should be less careless with Donny's visits. You never know when they might return." Klara nodded her agreement. "Did you tell him about the baby?" She asked quietly, as though she were afraid Donny would hear even though he was no longer present.

"No." Klara said with a sigh. "I could not. I wish to, though…_greatly._ It kills me that I cannot."

Shoshanna nodded and smiled sympathetically. "It will be alright, friend. You will be able to some day."

* * *

Once they had both finished their wine Shoshanna was looking too tired to travel, so Klara ushered her onto the couch and provided her with some extra pillows and blankets to make a makeshift bed. The blonde smiled sleepily once she was settled in and grabbed Klara's hand when she went past, squeezing it thankfully.

"Have hope Klara. I feel the change coming." She said slowly.

Klara wasn't sure if Shoshanna was tired, a little bit drunk, or both, but she smiled regardless and patted her hand before continuing on as Shoshanna fell asleep. Klara paused by the light switch and sighed to herself, her hand running over her stomach even though it would still be a long while until she began to show. Klara hoped for her life and the life of her child that things _would_ change for the better, and soon.

"I hope so, Shoshanna." She said quietly, flicking off the switch and glancing back at her friend one more time. "I hope so."

* * *

**A/N: Review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Holy sweet baby Jesus. Five months? Really? Where does the time go? **

**Genuinely sorry for the wait but positively touched with the attention this story is still getting. I'm determined to finish this story and my interest in it has grown a little over the past couple of days, so hopefully I'll write for it more. We'll just see! Anyway, after a nice long wait – Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing.**

Landa sucked in a deep breath as he sat on the porch of the quaint, French home. The flowers decorating the banisters in front of him were sweet and welcoming and very feminine, reminding him greatly of the girl he'd seen over a year ago in Germany. He'd been rather taken with the sister of his right hand man when he met her, but then again it would have been difficult not to be – she was smart, well mannered, and very beautiful. Klara was the exact type of woman that any respectable German soldier would want as a wife. He'd had half a mind to court her himself and had gone back and forth about it for a very long time. In the end, however, Landa decided he wanted her to mature more first and gain a few more life lessons before he pursued her.

Now, however, as he sat and enjoyed the view Klara Bathurst's home granted him of the small French town, he found himself _not _contemplating how he might go about courting her, but rather trying to figure out just what the blonde-haired beauty was up to. He suspected her greatly, which he had to admit made him quite sad, and was determined to unveil her every little secret. In the event that all of his suspicions were proven wrong, Landa would be rather relieved – if _not_, well…

When the clicking of heels on the sidewalk sounded through the air Landa looked up expectantly, eyeing the walkway that led up to the porch – the woman that passed by was older, a brunette, and most definitely not Klara Bathurst. He frowned to himself, wondering where the woman might be, before he stood from the bench and walked to the railing. He clasped his hands behind his back and took another deep breath, breathing in the flowers again.

One thing was for certain; if Klara Bathurst was indeed responsible for a Nazi's death and connected to the Bear Jew, Landa was going to wring her neck himself. Thinking of her possible treason and imaging her sharing a bed with the barbarian Jew sent a wave of red hot anger prickling down his spine – he allowed himself a moment to scowl before he quickly masked his growing displeasure. He had plans for Klara, plans of great magnitude, and now she may be on the brink of destroying them all. The thought disappointed him greatly, an emotion he had never thought Klara Bathurst, of _all _people, would be capable of making him feel.

Again, the familiar _clack clack clack _of heels on the sidewalk drew his attention. They slowed upon approach, making him glance to his right, and he could not help the smirk that crossed his lips when the clacking stuttered to a quick stop.

There, staring at him in surprise from the sidewalk in front of her house, was Klara Bathurst. She looked different from the last time he'd seen her; she had a bit more curve to her then he remembered, something that made her look very womanly. Her hair was longer, as well, but as she plastered on a smile and finally began to ascend the porch stairs towards him, the biggest change that he noticed was in her eyes. They looked older, wiser; far more mature then when he'd last seen her.

Pity he suspected her of treasonous acts – it would have been an absolute delight to have this fine specimen on his arm for the rest of his days.

"Hans." Klara greeted a little breathlessly. "Forgive my surprise, but I was not expecting you." She added in their native German tongue.

Even the sound of her voice was pleasing to the ear and he had to smile at her, trying to remind himself not to look too predatory. This proved a challenge all in its own – his adrenaline was beginning to pump at the thought of the chase, especially considering how utterly supple his prey was. But he wasn't here to merely visit with Klara, oh no; Landa was here to find out the truth about Fraulein Bathurst and he could not allow himself to become distracted by her. If she was involved with the Basterds the way he thought she might be, it would prove to be one of his greatest finds. The sister of a famous Nazi soldier caught aiding the Basterds?

The very thought of it made him quiver with excitement.

"I thought I would surprise you." He said in greeting, sweeping her hand up elegantly once she was close enough and breathing a kiss across the delicate skin of her knuckles. If she was uncomfortable with the gesture, she hid it well. "Did I succeed?" He asked before straightening up and grinning at her.

"You did." She admitted, putting a hand over her chest and offering him a light laugh.

"It is wonderful to see you again." Landa said, bowing to her slightly.

"And you as well, Standartenführer." Klara responded politely. "It has been a very long time indeed. Tell me, where is Kurt? His letter informed me he would arrive yesterday, but I have yet to see him." She asked, glancing around behind her for a moment as though expecting her brother to make a sudden appearance.

Landa waved off the question with a carefree smile and a shrug. "Ah, yes, I fear that is my doing. I have been keeping him preoccupied with little errands here and there. I suspect he will be dropping in on you soon enough."

"I understand. I suppose if he _has _to work I may let you keep him from me." She teased lightly. Landa noted happily that Klara was beginning to look a bit more at ease with his presence. The question now was whether she was _genuinely_ relaxed or if the woman was just trying to out-act him. "Hans, you have never been in my home before, have you?"

"No, I have not. I would very much like a tour if you are willing." He said, eyeing the door expectantly.

"Of course." Klara said before moving past him and pulling her keys out to unlock the door. He watched her carefully for any signs that she wasn't being honest with him but her movements were sure and steady as she opened the door and motioned him inside.

The house seemed innocent enough. It was cozy, just big enough for one person to live comfortably, and decorated tastefully. It was obvious that only she lived here and judging by the seemingly undisturbed furnishings of the living room, she didn't appear to have visitors very often. If she _was_ up to something, he now understood why it had taken so long for anyone to notice; Klara seemed to be leading a perfectly normal life inside her well-kept, modest home – at face value, there was absolutely no cause for suspicion. He heard her shut the door once they were both inside and turned to watch as she picked up a small flower pot and placed it in the window.

"You have a lovely home." He complimented.

"Thank you." She said before motioning towards the other rooms. "Allow me to show you the rest of the house." She offered before beginning to lead him through the home. "Through here is the study…"

As she led him through her home, Landa discovered very quickly that hunting down Jews was _vastly _different from hunting down Klara Bathurst's secrets. And for the first time in a long time, he wasn't completely sure what he was supposed to be looking for. Perhaps a pair of men's shoes left behind? Maybe man's clothing? He kept his eyes pealed for anything that might hint that she was first, involved with a man, and then second, if it was the Bear Jew. But even as he scrutinized every nook and cranny he passed, he knew it would be pointless; Klara was smart – the chances of her leaving discriminating evidence lying out in the open were highly unlikely.

"And finally – this is my bedroom." She finished, opening her bedroom door and letting him peek in.

The room, like the rest of the house, was decorated nicely and looked very feminine. It occurred to him that this would be the prime location for her to hide her secrets, seeing as it was her private space separated from the rest of the world, but he didn't press her to allow him into the room. This was an investigation that Landa wished to be more careful with and he had every intention of taking his time with it. "Thank you for the tour. I am very impressed with your home." He said, turning a charming smile on her.

"Thank you, Standartenführer." She said with a smile before ushering him back into the hallway and closing the door to her bedroom. "So, what brings you here this afternoon?"

He had come here to try and persuade her into joining him for a lunch meeting, one concerning a possible change in locations for the premiere of _Stolz der Nation_. It was his hope that the presence of Joseph Goebbels might strike a little fear into Klara's heart and unwittingly force her into giving away some of her secrets. "I actually am on my way to have lunch with some acquaintances of mine." He said casually, leaving out the fact that Goebbels would be present. "Would you be interested in joining me?" He asked, watching her steadily.

Klara immediately looked to him with regretful eyes, clicking her tongue in what appeared to be disappointment. "Unfortunately, I too have somewhere I must be soon – _Le Café Magnifique_, to be precise. I am meeting a friend of mine for lunch, so I am afraid I must decline."

Landa frowned in displeasure, to which she smiled innocently, but then snapped his fingers as another thought struck him. "_Le Café Magnifique? _Tis but a few blocks from where _I _am going. You shall ride with me." He said matter-of-factly, leaving no room for argument. "However, you must at least stop in to say hello to my friends. They will be _most _happy to make your acquaintance."

He noticed that the smile on her face faltered in just the slightest, but Klara quickly concealed it and nodded in agreement to the plan. "That is a very generous offer, Hans. Just allow me to grab my jacket."

Klara then turned to head into her bedroom and as soon as her back was to him, Landa allowed himself to bounce a bit on his heels while a triumphant smile tugged at his lips.

* * *

The ride to the restaurant was awkward and slightly terrifying but, thankfully, also short. Landa's unexpected arrival had caught her _completely_ off guard and currently the way he was acting was a little unnerving. Everyone that encountered him knew that Landa was a fairly odd man, but _she _knew very well just how pompous he really was. At the moment, however, he was being incredibly nice – _too _nice. And it was making her feel highly uncomfortable.

"So who are your friends?" She asked once she and Landa were out of the car and being led through the restaurant. A number of German soldiers loitered about the place and eyed them as they walked past, looking for more intrigued by the sight of Hans Landa then of her. It was not the first time that she had been surrounded by men that would gladly kill her if they knew her secrets, but quite suddenly Klara could not suppress the nagging feeling that she had walked right into the lion's den.

"You shall see." Was Landa's simple response.

There was no need to wonder a moment longer – the maître d' had directed them towards a private room near the back of the restaurant and Klara immediately froze upon being presented with the sight of Fredrick Zoller, two women (one who had her back turned to her and the other being no one she recognized) and the one and only Dr. Joseph Goebbels. Her eyes widened and she suddenly had to gulp past a large lump that had formed in her throat. When Landa had told her they would be visiting friends of his, she'd thought maybe they would be other officers or something of that sort – not once had she considered the possibility that it would be _Goebbels_.

"Ah, Landa! You are here!" Goebbels said with excitement, welcoming him grandly. "And such a beautiful lady on your arm. Come! Join us! This is the lady in question." He informed them, motioning to the blonde woman who wasn't facing them.

Klara couldn't bring herself to fully step into the room until Landa placed hand on her back and gently pushed her forward. She was positively frightened to be in the presence of these people and the touch of Landa's hand made her skin crawl, but she quickly masked it when she remembered that she needed to keep herself together. Klara stood obediently by Landa's side, nodding in greeting to those sitting at the table, including the Gestapo officer that she spotted off to the side now that she was fully in the room. Goebbels was eyeing her a bit perversely as Landa leaned over to greet the blonde-haired woman but Klara merely smiled politely at him before directing her attention to the other blonde she had yet to see the face of.

It required all of her self-control not to start at the sight of Shoshanna. Her friend looked just as bemused at the sight of her for a moment but covered it quickly, inclining her head towards her in greeting – Klara hoped that her unaffected mask was as convincing as Shoshanna's and returned the gesture. While Landa and Zoller took the moment to greet each other, Klara took advantage of their distraction to do a sweep of the table with her eyes, suddenly acutely aware that if any man at this table learned of what she did or of Shoshanna's true identity that they would both be dead.

Quite suddenly, Klara found herself fighting the urge to vomit.

"Tell me, what is your name?" Goebbels asked, gaining her attention when he stood from his chair so he could grab her hand and press a kiss to it.

Pulling herself together for the second time, she flashed him a bright smile. "Klara Bathurst, herr Goebbels." She introduced.

The man's eyes widened at once. "Are you to tell me I have the sister of _another _war hero standing before me?" He asked in excitement. "This is too much! Far too much! Landa, what a wonderful surprise you have brought to me." He then motioned the waiter over and ordered her a glass of wine as well as another drink for himself. "This is cause for another round! Sit! Sit!"

"I really cannot stay – " Klara piped up, hoping her regretful tone sounded convincing.

"Nonsense." Goebbels cut her off, practically forcing her down into the chair Zoller had vacated.

"Pardon me, herr Goebbels, but you have another meeting." The dark haired woman said once Goebbels had reclaimed his seat. "We cannot linger much longer."

"Nonsense, I wish to speak with the woman." He scowled at her sternly. The woman moved back, having obviously been put in her place, and pressed her lips together tightly. Goebbels turned back towards Klara and smiled winningly, completely focused on her now. "Tell me, how is your brother fairing?" He asked her interestedly.

Klara was terrified to be talking to him but could see no way to get out of this quick conversation. She glanced over at Landa but he only flashed her an innocent looking smile. The moment made the flame of suspicion flare within her – had he brought her here on purpose to try and scare her? Or was he merely trying to impress her? "My brother is well, the last I heard." She finally answered Goebbels, turning her eyes back to him. "I do not get to correspond with him nearly as often as I would like." She added as an afterthought, feigning disappointment at that fact. "I hope he will call on me sometime today, though…assuming Hans finally allows him a day of freedom."

"Very good, very good." Goebbels said with a nod. "And will you both be attending the premiere?"

"Yes." Landa answered for her. "She and Kurt both will. I will see to it myself."

Klara forced a smile on and nodded. "Yes, I can only imagine the lengths you might endure in order to see that we are present." She teased, putting on her best acting job and reaching over to place a hand on Landa's arm. He glanced down at her hand before giving her another smile, tilting his head at her as the occupants of the table chuckled. She couldn't be sure if Landa was suspicious of her, but if he was then she vowed right then that she was going to make his interrogation as difficult as possible.

"Well, I shall assume then that Hans will be the lucky one to have you on his arm?" Goebbels asked, raising his eyebrows a tick. "Or is there another that would be so proud to call you his?"

Goebbels' prying, and his obvious interest, made her fight back a gag and she was very happy when their drinks arrived in the next moment. "There is no man, I am afraid. So yes, I suppose I _will _be on Hans' arm." She answered before taking a hearty drink of her wine.

"There is not?" Landa spoke up, catching her attention again. "I thought I heard your brother speak of someone…a fellow named Emmerich, I believe. What became of him?"

It was as though all of the air had been sucked out of the room the instant that Emmerich's name slipped past Landa's lips. Klara could have sworn that her heart had stopped beating, Shoshanna's eyes went wide and her entire body rigid from where she sat, and all the while Landa continued to smile at Klara with nothing but innocence on his face. "Y-yes." Klara forced out, nodding slowly. "But I have not seen him for a long while now. Perhaps…perhaps he lost interest."

Landa's smile widened. "I find that hard to believe."

"Well, whoever this Emmerich is, he is a _fool_." Goebbels piped up with a clap of his hands, making Klara jump and finally tear her gaze away from Landa's. "Do not worry over him, there will be plenty more suitors to come." He added, flashing her what he probably thought was a charming smile but only succeeding in immediately making her feel disgusted.

"I really must apologize." The woman next to Landa cut in once again. "But I need to get the Reich Minister to his next appointment."

"Oh fine. Slave driver!" Goebbels shouted good-naturedly. "French slave driver!"

"I must be going as well." Klara said, trying to ignore all of the anxiety she was feeling right then and pushing up from the seat. She paused to flash Goebbels a polite smile as he grabbed her hand to kiss it again but inwardly cringed when his eyes raked over her form quite conspicuously. "It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance – all of you." She added.

"And you as well. I look forward to seeing you at the premiere, Fraulein Bathurst." He said before moving to leave.

His interpreter eyed her with distaste for a moment, to which Klara simply quirked an eyebrow in her direction. The woman only offered a polite, albeit forced, smile and headed for the door on the arm of Goebbels. Landa was now having a quick conversation with Zoller in their native German and Klara took advantage of his distraction to chance a look towards Shoshanna, who did not speak German and had no idea what was going on. Then she flashed her a quick but encouraging smile, even though it required a lot of willpower to do so just then.

"Hans," Goebbels voice caught Klara's attention again and she shifted her gaze back to the group of Germans by the door. "The boy means no harm, he's simply smitten." He told Landa good-naturedly. "And he's correct – your reputation does proceed you." But then he turned a grin on Zoller and slapped his back. "As long as Hans has that beauty on his arm, I believe you have no need to worry." He told the younger German even as he shot a leering look towards Klara.

"There is no need for concern." Landa assured Zoller, quirking an eyebrow at Goebbels. "As security chief, I simply need to have a chat with the possible new venue's property owner."

Zoller first looked at Landa then glanced down at Shoshanna uncertainly. "I was just hoping to escort Mademoiselle Mimieux back to her cinema..."

Goebbels shook his head with a laugh. "Nonsense. You can eat ice cream and walk along the Sienne another time. Right now, allow Colonel Landa to do his job." He urged.

With that Goebbels, his interpreter, Zoller, and the Gestapo office took their leave. She noticed that the officer cast one last lingering look at her as he left but brushed it off, forcing on a smile as she stepped up to Landa. The last thing Klara wanted to do was leave Shoshanna alone with Hans Landa but she simply could not bring herself to be in his company for one moment longer –he'd been acting oddly around her all day, had forced her into the company of Goebbels, then had mentioned Emmerich. If that wasn't enough to convince her that he was suspicious of her then she didn't know what would. And though there was no way of knowing for sure whether Landa was aware that he had two of his enemies right underneath his nose at that exact moment, Klara didn't particularly want to stick around and find out.

"Standartenführer, always a pleasure." She said, taking his hand coolly and allowing him to kiss the top of it again. "Let us hope our next meeting allows us time to properly enjoy each other's company, yes?"

"Of course." He agreed. "I shall see you again before the premiere."

"Wonderful." Klara said before glancing down at Shoshanna. "Mademoiselle." She said in parting before smiling at Landa and pulling her hand from his. "Good day."

She'd never high-tailed it out of a restaurant so fast in her life. Had it not been entirely improper, Klara would have full out run away from Landa and Shoshanna. But since the eyes of numerous German soldiers were locked on her again as she made her exit, Klara simply tried to keep her breathing under control and strode quickly out of the restaurant with her chin jutted into the air. As soon as she was on the street however, the German headed for the nearest alley – where she promptly leaned heavily against the wall and dropped her face into her shaking hands, fighting against the urge to cry.

It had been her best acting job not to show how utterly frightened she had been for the past five minutes but she wasn't sure what was causing her the most distress – Landa's strange behavior, the fact that he knew about Emmerich, or Goebbels' obvious interest. Why in the world had Landa gone out of his way to introduce her to Joseph Goebbels? How much did he know about Emmerich? And why did she feel like an ant underneath Hans Landa's boot?

Something strange was definitely happening with Landa, that much was for certain, and if he had somehow managed to find out her secrets she _desperately _wanted to know how. She scowled to herself in frustration and shook her head, thinking about everything that had been happening over the past few months – she and Donny should have been more careful about their meetings, she should have tried harder to conceal herself when heading out to the rendezvous into of just waltzing around in dark clothes and hoping no one was around. _Anyone_ could have spotted Donny coming in and out of her house on his numerous visits and she had to berate herself. _How could they have both been so careless?_

Klara took a steadying breath to calm the storm of thoughts in her head and finally pushed herself away from the wall. Once she'd collected herself again, she smoothed out the invisible wrinkles from her clothes and then turned to the streets, only sparing the restaurant another glance before hurrying away. She absolutely hated herself for leaving Shoshanna behind and vowed to make it up to her friend as soon as she could, but right then there were more important matters to be handled. Landa may know what Klara had been doing in France all this time and if he did then Donny needed to be informed straight away.

Because if Landa had figured out all of her dirty little secrets, then they _both_ needed to prepare themselves for whatever storm awaited them.

* * *

**Thoughts? It wasn't totally crap was it? **

**BTW, what a cop-out with the café's name, lol. I couldn't come up with anything better.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Berzie, I can get behind Scarlett for Klara but I'm not so sure about Alexander for Kurt. I see Kurt more as a blonde Henry Cavill – what do ya think about that? **

**And by the way, I REALLY wanted to update this story ASAP but I went back to re-read it and realized I wasn't happy with some of my work **_**at all. **_**So…I revised the ENTIRE story! I started this almost three years ago and it's safe to say my writing has improved considerably since then, so I decided to revamp and really make this story into something before getting this chapter out. Check it out when you get a moment.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own diddly-squat.**

Donny had told her he would meet with her before the Basterds left for Nadine, which would be any day now, but since having him in her home while Landa was sniffing around felt like the most idiotic thing that Klara could possibly do right then, she thought it best to make sure he stayed _far _away from her home. She'd immediately returned home upon leaving the restaurant in order to write a note informing him to meet her in the old bar at nightfall, then she'd risked a trip out to the clearing to leave it for him despite the fact that going into the woods in broad daylight was rather dangerous. Now she just had to hope that there wasn't anyone keeping an eye on her anymore (which seemed unlikely) and that Donny would receive the message in time.

Klara felt as though she were a frightened bunny for the rest of the day – any little noise outside, anything that sounded suspiciously like a car stopping in front of her house or someone coming up her walkway had her starting in fright and peering out of her window like a nervous old lady. Was this how all of Hans Landa's victims felt as well? Helpless, scared, afraid to so much as even breathe incorrectly? Though still unsure if he was suspicious of her or not, Klara wasn't about to let her guard down; for all she knew he was just biding his time. And if he came for her, she was going to have to be ready. But nobody came to visit her for the rest of the day, not Landa, not Kurt, not even Shoshanna.

That was, at least, until around six o'clock in the evening when a knock suddenly sounded on her door. Though nervous and feeling as though her heart might burst right out of her chest, Klara had dutifully answered the door only to be greeted by a fidgety looking SS soldier carrying a large parcel. Due to her paranoia Klara had been rather frightened to see him at first but once he'd stammered out that he was there to deliver a package from Kurt she'd relaxed and then quickly sent the German on his way. Opening the package had revealed the expensive looking dress her brother wished for her to wear to the premiere and a note simply saying, _I expect you to be on your best behavior at the premiere – Hans and I will dine with you tomorrow at seven-thirty sharp._

The note was now just a crumpled ball of paper at the bottom of her trash bin, but Klara was still fuming over it a few hours later when she began making her way towards the old bar.

Who did Kurt think he was? Her master? Did he believe her to be some puppet in his twisted play? She growled in frustration, kicking at a rock that was in her path, and shook her head disbelievingly. If she knew Kurt half as well as she thought she did, there was no doubt in her mind that he would attempt to find her another suitor at the premiere. And knowing her luck, that man would more then likely end up being Hans Landa himself. Marrying his only sister off to a decorated and famous Nazi soldier? He had to be jumping at the prospect.

Then a thought struck her and she immediately froze – if Landa knew what she was up to then had he informed Kurt as well? Were they _both _suspicious of her and was everything that they were doing all a part of some elaborate scheme to scare her into confessing all of her secrets? Did they think that by forcing her to meet Goebbels, forcing their company upon her, demanding her presence at the Nazi infested premiere that she'd cower like a fool and beg for their mercy? If so they _both _were in for a rude awakening – if nothing else their actions were only making her more determined to make their tasks near impossible to carry out. She would rather die then give in to them.

But then, as she pulled herself together and continued on for the bar, she remembered the baby growing inside of her – she couldn't risk her life when there was now someone else solely dependent on her. It only took a few moments for her hard-headed resolve to crumble away and she let out a heavy sigh, wondering when her life had turned into such a mess.

Thankfully Donny had received her message and was lounging casually in a chair when she arrived, throwing the door open a bit rougher then necessary to release some of the stress inside of her. He raised his eyebrows at her less then subtle entrance, looking almost amused when she heaved and shut the door roughly behind her. "I take it ya had a bad day…" Donny said slowly.

"You have no idea." Klara retorted, dropping down into the chair across from him heavily and pinching the bridge of her nose. He titled his head and studied her closely, waiting to hear whatever she had to say. "I am glad you received my message – my home is not safe for you right now."

Her statement obviously caught Donny's interest because he sat up straighter and looked to her with furrowed brows. "What do ya mean, 'not safe'?" He asked her in confusion.

Klara knew that what she was about say was going to upset him and she sucked in a deep breath, preparing herself for whatever reaction he might have. "It is Landa." She revealed. A dark looked crossed over Donny's features at the mention of his enemy, just as she had anticipated. "He is here. And…I – I think he has grown suspicious of me."

This was obviously _not _what Donny had been expecting to hear. For a long second he stared at in surprise before furrowing his brows in concern, leaning back in his seat, and beginning to rub his chin thoughtfully. "Ya sure?" He asked after a moment or two of silence.

"Well, I admit that I am not _completely _sure…" Klara told him a bit reluctantly. "But I _know _Hans Landa and he was acting very oddly today – not at all as his usual self when around me. He showed up unexpectedly and unannounced on my porch and then forced me to attend a lunch meeting with Goebbels – " She started to explain.

"_Goebbels?_" Donny cut in sharply, his eyes flashing. "Are ya fuckin' serious?"

"Yes." Klara retorted a bit impatiently at having been cut off. "And Landa knows about Emmerich. I do not know how much but he knows Emmerich was pursuing me." With that being said, Klara got out of her seat and began to pace around, rubbing her forehead in frustration. "I do not know what kind of games he attempts to play with me, but I do not trust him one bit. You should have _seen _the way Landa was looking at me – it was as though he knew he had me trapped, like he had me exactly where he wanted me." She came to a halt and turned to face Donny, who had been watching her pace around with a frown on his face. "Donny, I am frightened."

Donny finally got to his feet, set down the gun that had been in his hand, and closed the gap between them so that he could wrap his arms around her. Klara accepted his comforting hug eagerly and hid her face into his broad chest, allowing the calming scent of his aftershave and the woods to soothe her anxiety some while his hand rubbed circles over her back.

"Hey, don't get ahead'a yourself, okay?" He said in her ear before pressing a kiss to her temple. "Ya said ya don't know for sure that he suspects ya, right?" He asked, pulling back some so he could look her in the eye – Klara reluctantly nodded. "And ya've told me from the beginning that Landa's a weird fuck. Maybe today he was just…I dunno…tryin' to impress ya or somethin'? Somethin' tells me that if he suspected ya of anything, ya'd know it for sure."

Klara knew he was just trying to ease her worries, but she couldn't help but frown up at him in confusion. "You are taking this entirely too well – how can you not be concerned by this, Donny?" She asked disbelievingly.

"I _am _concerned." Donny shot back at her with a quirk of his eyebrow. "But it ain't gonna do anyone any good to worry 'bout the 'what if's, it'll only cause more problems." When Klara didn't look convinced, Donny let out a long heave. "Listen, you're _smart. _And I _know _ya can outsmart that asshole and beat 'im at his own game – besides, did ya forget ya've got the Basterds behind ya?" His words finally made her crack a small smile and he smirked down at her before reaching up to tug at a lock of her hair that had escape the confines of her hat. "Whether he's up to somethin' or not, I won't let anything happen to ya. Ya can be _damn _sure of that."

Klara nodded in agreement and then accepted his kiss when he leaned down to lock his lips on hers. But even though she felt a little more encouraged now that he'd talked her down some, she couldn't shake the feeling that Donny might not be right on this particular problem. If Landa thought she was guilty of anything then of course he wouldn't outright show it, that just wasn't how he operated. He'd probably lower the boom when she least expected it and until then, she was going to have to keep a wary eye open at all times.

"We're heading for Nadine tomorrow." Donny revealed when he finally pulled his lips away from hers. "We shouldn't be gone long, we're just meetin' up with some contacts. Think it might have somethin' to do with the premiere ya've been tellin' me about, though."

"_Stolz der Nation_?" Klara asked curiously. "What about it?"

"Not sure right now." Then he frowned and scratched the back of his neck. "But I've actually been wantin' to talk to ya about that. I'm not sure yet, Lieutenant hasn't gone into specifics, but I think somethin' might be goin' down at that premiere. Think ya can get outta it?"

Klara frowned, suddenly hearing the conversation from earlier that day in her head. _And will you both be attending?, _Goebbels' voice echoed in her head. _Yes, _came Landa's voice next, _She and Kurt both will. I will see to it myself. _"I will try." She told him slowly. Then she remembered that the premiere might possibly be moved to Shoshanna's theater and decided right then and there that she'd get a word of warning to her friend, just in case.

"Try hard, alright?" Donny reiterated, pulling her back from her thoughts.

Klara nodded and then rested a hand on his chest, taking a moment to appreciate how small it looked compared to the broad muscles of his torso – why did she suddenly have this nagging feeling that something was about to happen? The sense that there was something that Donny wasn't telling her began to grow inside of her until it was almost overwhelming, but when she looked up into his dark eyes the look on his face gave nothing away. She pushed the doubts away, telling herself that she was only paranoid because of the day's events, then pressed a long kiss to Donny's lips before pulling away from him.

"I should go." She told him regretfully. "I do not want to return home late, just in case."

Donny nodded in understanding but clasped her by the hand anyway, pulling her close again so he could give her an even longer goodbye kiss. When they separated again he ran a hand over her cheek, his eyes sweeping over her face multiple times. "Be careful, alright? I know ya worried but don't do anything to draw unnecessary suspicion to ya, got it?"

"Understood." She confirmed. "And _you _be careful as well." She went on to instruct him sternly.

"I'm _always _careful." Donny retorted with a snort. Then he nodded his head towards the door. "Go out before me, I'll keep an eye out for ya."

Klara nodded and then headed for the door, Donny following right behind her after he'd snatched up his gun again. She took a second to peek around outside first and make sure that the coast was clear before turning back to him and placing a chaste kiss to his lips. "I love you, Donny." She told him earnestly, unsure what to make of the jumbled emotions swarming her body right then.

"I love ya, too, Klare." He told her just as sincerely before raising his gun and taking a step outside. "Go." He instructed.

Klara didn't waste another moment and slipped out of the bar before making her way quietly down towards the main road. She didn't have to worry about sneaking too much since she was alone and it was still fairly early in the night, but for reasons unknown the same feelings of apprehension and anxiety that filled her when moving families to her house was still present. She paused just by the road to glance back at Donny, expecting him to have already been on his way, but was surprised when she saw that he was staring after her with an unreadable expression on his face. Klara wasn't sure what to think of his behavior and frowned in confusion, but he simply shook his head and raised a hand to wave at her before motioning for her to get going. She finally nodded, flashed one more smile, and then (against her better judgment) slipped back onto the main road to go back home.

She mulled over her conversation with Donny the entire way back, feeling troubled. As far as she knew Donny had never lied to her, so certainly he wouldn't start now. Surely if something was going to happen at this premiere then he would have told her, right? If it was something dangerous – something life threatening – then he would have outright said so. Then again he'd said that Aldo hadn't gone into detail, so perhaps he didn't know what was going to happen yet either.

When Klara finally returned to her home it was nearly nine o'clock at night and the streets were finally starting to empty out. She took a moment to survey the area around her home, trying to determine if there were any suspicious looking vehicles or people that might be following her, before hurrying up the steps to her front door – she froze when she realized there was someone sitting on her bench but then immediately relaxed upon realizing that it was only Shoshanna.

"Shoshanna!" She hissed, hurrying up the steps before wrapping her friend up in a tight hug. "Forgive me for earlier, I did not wish to leave you with him." Klara immediately apologized. "Are you well? Is everything alright?"

"I am fine." Shoshanna responded, sounding eerily calm and offering a ghost of a smile. Then she glanced around before motioning towards the door. "Perhaps we should go inside?"

"Yes, we should." Klara immediately agreed, moving to quickly unlock her door before ushering her friend inside. "Would you like a drink?" She offered once the door was shut and they were tucked away inside her home.

"No, thank you, I cannot stay for long for I have business to attend tonight." Shoshanna told her, now wringing her hands together. Klara flashed her a questioning look – business to attend to? When it was nine o'clock at night? That seemed odd. "The premiere, this…_German night in Paris_," Shoshanna practically spat the words out, pulling a face of revulsion, "It is taking place in _my _cinema."

"I had feared this to be the case." Klara admitted, instantly feeling sympathetic for her friend. "I am sorry to hear it."

"There is nothing to be done about it now." Shoshanna said dismissively, turning her eyes away before a strange look crossed her pretty features. "Well, that is not _entirely _true…"

Her words immediately caught Klara's attention. "What is this you speak of?" She asked curiously, tilting her head at her friend.

Shoshanna sighed and then crossed her arms before pinning Klara with a determined look. "You have told me time and again that I would someday have my vengeance – the time has now come." She told her simply.

"Shoshanna – " Klara began to interject as a feeling of fright immediately zinged down the length of her spine.

"Hans Landa? Joseph Goebbels? _The entire Third Reich?!_" Shoshanna interrupted, her eyes flashing maliciously. "There will never be another opportunity such as this and I intend to take full advantage." When Klara started to argue back, Shoshanna held up a hand to silence her. "There will be no talking me out of this, friend. I have not come to argue with you, nor boast of my plans. I have only come now to tell you that you must _not _attend this premiere, not if you want your baby to survive. Do you understand me?"

"My friend – " Klara tried once again to speak.

Within an instant the blonde woman had wrapped her up in a hug, making the protest on Klara's lips fade away. "You have been a good friend to me, Klara Bathurst. One of the best friends I have ever known. I cannot thank you enough for the support you have offered me throughout our friendship." She said quietly, squeezing Klara tightly within her embrace.

"See reason, Shoshanna." Klara was finally able to say as she pulled out of the hug and grabbed her friend by the shoulders, resisting the urge to shake sense into her. "If you kill _anyone _in that theater you will be arrested, you will be _executed. _It is _suicide_! Think about what your family would want – _think about Marcel_!"

An unreadable look crossed over her face at the mention of her lover but Shoshanna merely shook her head. "Marcel knows what he does, as do I." She said softly, yet also resolutely. "And I care not what repercussions I must face, I wish now only to avenge the family that was wrongly taken from me." She finished.

Then she was pulling away from Klara entirely and heading for the door. Klara immediately followed after her but Shoshanna was too fast – she was already opening up the front door and stepping out onto the porch. "Shoshanna." The German woman tried to plead. "_Shoshanna!_"

"Thank you, Klara, for all that you have done. I wish you all the best."

And with that being said, Shoshanna stepped out into the dark Paris night and firmly shut the door behind her.

* * *

To say that being sat at a dinner table with her brother and Hans Landa at the same time (especially when she knew that Shoshanna had something dastardly planned for the both of them) was awkward would have been an understatement. The two Nazi soldiers had arrived at her door at seven-thirty sharp the next day, just as they had informed her they would, and had made themselves comfortable as though they owned the quaint home. Which if Klara were to be truthful, Kurt technically _did _own the house, even if he'd only visited a handful of times.

"An _excellently _prepared meal, dear sister." Kurt complimented as he set down his knife and fork and scooped up his dinner napkin so that he could dab at the corners of his mouth. "Most pleasing indeed."

"Thank you, brother. I am happy you are satisfied." Klara responded politely. _Do not let them see how frightened you are, give nothing away, _she told herself for what had to be the hundredth time in the past hour. She forced on a winning smile and directed her attention towards Landa. "Hans, do you find your meal fitting?"

Landa focused his attention on her and immediately flashed a wide grin. "Quite." He answered simply.

Klara nodded and then fell silent as Landa refocused his attention on Kurt and began discussing military matters with him. While the two men were distracted with their conversation Klara took the moment to suck in a deep, calming breath, her eyes glancing over to the flowerpot resting in her window on their own accord. She'd been haunted by Shoshanna's words since the moment the woman had stepped out of her house the previous night, but that was not the only problem worrying her at the moment. What if Donny was going to somehow be in that theater, too? He'd said himself that the Basterds might have plans for the premiere but he also had absolutely no idea that Shoshanna had something planned – he could quite possibly be putting himself in an even more dangerous predicament then he knew of and could end up getting hurt, or worse.

Klara immediately closed her mind to that thought. She had to trust that Donny knew what he was doing and that he wouldn't willingly put his life on the line when he knew she was waiting for him. He loved her, he wanted a future with her, so certainly he wouldn't participate in something that wind up taking his life, right?

But the nagging feeling that had refused to leave her reared its ugly head, filling her with doubt all over again. When Donny had come to France it had been with the intent of killing any Nazi that crossed his path, not to become involved in a romantic relationship with her – _she _had been an unexpected development in his life whereas his mission at hand was undoubtedly his top priority. She knew all too well how seriously he took his duty to heart and how proud he was to have been involved with the Basterds. If it came down to taking out the Third Reich, and possibly ending the war, could she trust that he _wouldn't _sacrifice himself for the greater good? Especially if it meant that it would give his people, and even _her_, a hope for a brighter future?

"I fear we are boring our host, friend." Landa suddenly spoke up, his voice breaking through her thoughts and forcing her attention back on him. "Forgive us, I am afraid we are _entirely_ too dedicated to our careers."

"There is no need to apologize, Hans." Klara responded, offering a smile. "I must admit that I am not myself." She then added, remembering the requests of both Donny _and _Shoshanna and beginning to set a plan into motion that would hopefully rid her of her obligation to attend the premiere. "I have not felt well all day."

"Why did you say nothing of this?" Kurt asked, frowning at her in what appeared to be concern.

"I did not wish to make either of you feel as though you were imposing." Klara lied, shrugging at him innocently. "I think I am due for a good night of rest and a hot bath in the morning – it would be a shame not to be able to attend the premiere tomorrow. I have been so looking forward to it, especially when I have such a _beautiful _garment to wear." With that she turned to her brother and inclined her head to him. "Thank you again for the dress, Kurt."

"Well, I do believe I have a remedy for this illness of yours." Landa said with a nod of his head before setting down his napkin, excusing himself, and then heading for her kitchen. Klara watched him go, feeling unnerved with the casual way that Landa was moving about her home, but did not speak up again him. "Tell me, where is your kettle?" She heard him call from the kitchen.

"In the cabinet next to the sink." She called back before looking towards Kurt questioningly. He merely shrugged at her as the sound of Landa rummaging through her cabinets, followed by the tap being turned on reached their ears. "Hans, do you require help?"

"I am perfectly capable of filling a kettle, dear woman." Was the quick response she was awarded.

"Just let him do as he pleases. It is easier that way." Kurt suggested, reaching for his glass of whiskey before knocking it back. "I did not wish to address this in front of Hans but now that we are alone, I must ask you this – were you saddened to hear that Unterscharführer Haugg was killed?"

The question caught her completely off guard and she looked to Kurt with surprised eyes for a moment before quickly grappling for the correct response and nodding her head. "Yes, I believe I was. He may have been a pest of a man but nobody deserves the fate he was dealt – I feel sorry for anyone who finds themself on the wrong end of the Bear Jew's bat." She answered, feigning remorse over the demise of her former Nazi suitor.

Kurt watched her for a moment then nodded his head slowly. "Yes, I agree. Tis a shameful way to go, indeed." He said before reaching for the whiskey decanter and refilling his drink. "Just know that he was a decent man and quite fond of you. I am sure he is in a better place now."

Klara didn't think it likely but said no such thing. Landa returned a few moments later to collect the whiskey decanter, patting her shoulder quickly with another unsettling smile, then disappeared back into the kitchen. She and Kurt continued on with their meal in relative silence, unable to find another subject to discuss just then, and waited until they heard the tell-tale sound of a whistling teapot. About three minutes later Landa returned yet again, but this time he had a steaming cup of tea in one hand.

"Hot tea with a splash of honey and whiskey – it cures _all _ailments." He said, placing the cup in front of her.

"Thank you very much." Klara said, inclining her head to him.

They finished with their meals about twenty minutes later, where the men then proceeded to retire into the living room so that they could converse over cigars and glasses of whiskey while Klara made quick work of cleaning up their dinner plates. It was nearing nine o'clock in the evening now and she glanced at the clock impatiently, wondering when the two would take their leave of her and continue on their way for the evening. It was hard to hear what they were discussing over the running water but she could have sworn she felt eyes on her back the entire time that she was in the kitchen – every time she would glance behind her, however, neither men would be paying her any attention.

_BANG BANG BANG_

The sudden, loud knocking on her front door about five minutes later made her jump in surprise and press a hand over her now pounding heart. She shut the water off to go and see who had arrived, praying to everything holy that Donny had seen the flowerpot in her window and _wasn't _trying to break in her door right then, but froze when she heard the urgent yell, "Standartenführer Landa! Please open the door! It is of great importance!"

Landa was off of the couch and opening the door in the blink of an eye, frowning when he saw that there was a chubby looking Nazi soldier on the other side. The newcomer's face was flushed and it was obvious that he'd come here in a rush. He quickly saluted Landa, who returned the gesture. "What is it soldier? What could be so important that you interrupt my night of leave?" Landa asked impatiently.

"Forgive me, but there has been an incident, Standartenführer. Reports have just come in that there was a shooting at a bar in Nadine." At the mention of the French town, Klara's blood immediately ran cold – Nadine was where Donny was. "None were left alive but there were a number of men spotted vacating the area with haste." Then he frowned deeply. "One of the bodies inside was identified to be Hugo Stiglitz."

"Hugo Stiglitz?" Kurt asked, immediately on alert. "This was of the Basterds' doing?"

"It is believed to be so."

"Are there others?" Landa asked as Kurt immediately turned and began to collect their things.

"It is suspected that at least two other Basterds were also killed."

Klara couldn't breathe, she couldn't move, she could hardly even think save for one thought – was Donny one of the dead Basterds this soldier was currently referring to? A fear like she had never known settled in the pit of her stomach and it was everything Klara could do not to let her true emotions play across her face. Landa, on the other hand, seemed unnaturally chipper as he clapped his hands together and practically bounced on his heels. "Well, this is wonderful news then." He said before accepting his coat and hat from Kurt.

A red-hot hatred that she had never felt before consumed her at hearing these words but she hampered down the overwhelming urge to act upon them as Kurt and Landa came over to say their goodbyes.

"My apologies for cutting our evening short, sister." Kurt said in a formal tone. "I fear we must be going."

Klara nodded, trying to force her vocal chords to work. "Y-Yes." She managed out. "Of course. I understand."

"I hope you feel better by the morning." Kurt added before turning on his heel to quickly leave.

Landa stepped up next and swept her hand, kissing her knuckles quickly. "An exquisite meal, Fraulein Bathurst. I do look forward to seeing you tomorrow." Then he released her hand. "Be sure to finish that tea, you will have to be at your very best for the premiere."

She couldn't find it in her to muster up another response so she simply nodded her head and offered him a quick smile. Landa said nothing more and left in the same direction that Kurt had gone, firmly shutting the door behind him in his departure – as soon as she was alone Klara pressed a hand over her heart again and all but collapsed on the floor, tears immediately filling her eyes.

At least three Basterds dead? Could any others be injured? What if _more _of them were dead and they just didn't know it yet?

_What if Donny was dead? _

* * *

As soon as Landa was ushered into the backseat of his car he looked over to his right hand man and raised his eyebrows. Now that they were away from Klara, Kurt was rubbing his forehead with his right hand and grinding his teeth, looking for all the world like a man deeply disturbed by something. Landa was sure he knew what but decided to question him anyway.

"Kurt?"

The blonde haired soldier glanced over and it was then that Landa realized the man's expression was a mixture of both anger and disappointment. "You were right, Hans." He said slowly, shaking his head as he turned his eyes forward. "I did not wish to believe it, but...you were right." Landa didn't bother to say anything in response, merely waited until Kurt spoke up again. "You said that only yesterday she seemed blissfully unaware of Emmerich's death – she told me just now that she's known all along." He growled out. "She knew that he had been slain by the Bear Jew."

Landa sighed and then reached over to pat the man's shoulder. That one sentence had confirmed everything that he had been suspecting, because Landa had strictly instructed that the details surrounding Unterscharführer Haugg's death remain under wraps and not even a _word_ had been leaked in the past month – if Klara knew it was either because she had been there or because his murderer (and quite possibly her _lover_) had told her himself. The foolish woman had just given herself away because she had been unable to keep tabs on her own lies.

"I am sorry, friend." Landa said, his own anger growing at the knowledge of Klara's treason. "Words cannot express the disappointment I feel in this moment."

"Mine either." Kurt snapped, his hand clenching into a fist. "Did you see the look on her face? How stricken she was when she'd learned of the Basterds' causalities? It makes me fucking _sick_!"

Landa remained unaffected as Kurt lashed out and punched the seat in front of him. He knew exactly what he was feeling because he too had had great hope for Klara. But all of that was changing now. "What do you wish to do then?" Landa asked, choosing to leave the decision of Klara's fate up to Kurt.

"She is not my sister anymore." Kurt said lowly, a slightly maniacal expression taking over his features. "And I want to see that traitor _pay._"

* * *

**Oh holy crap. What did you guys think? Are you about to pee your pants yet?**


	18. Chapter 18

**So I went back and re-read a lot of my old reviews and I'll admit that I was pretty regretful for having drawn this story out for so long – I know for sure that lack of frequent updates lost me a lot of readers. But in the end, the fact remains that if I had rushed this story or done it any other way then I **_**know **_**it wouldn't have turned out as well as it has. So I'd like to take this moment to thank ALL of my loyal readers, both old and new, for sticking it out and being so patient with me ****You guys are awesome and I will do my absolute best not to disappoint you!**

**Anywho…Ladies and jellyspoons, we are nearing the end of this tale. And we have **_**finally**_** reached the event – we are breaching the night of the **_**Stolz der Nation **_**premiere. Hang on to your hats! **

**P.S. Sorry for all the f-bombs. That Donny Donowitz, he sure has a mouth on him…and that just procured all kinds of wildly inappropriate thoughts. Ahem! Moving right along…**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing.**

Donny found it absolutely amazing just how quickly things could go from being just shitty to being an absolute cluster-fuck.

When he and the rest of the Basterds had left for Nadine earlier that day their platoon was still wholly intact and everything had been going according to plan. They'd picked up Lieutenant Hicox without any hassle, had made it to the bar _La Louisiane _to meet up with the German movie star (and spy) Bridget von Hammersmark, and finally had _some _idea just what was in store for the _Stolz der Nation _premiere – von Hammersmark was somehow going to smuggle the Basterds into the premiere so that they could blow the damn thing, and every Nazi shithead inside, to kingdom come.

But everything had changed in the last few hours. Stiglitz, Wicki, Hicox; they were all dead now thanks to a terrible coincidence and a careless mistake on the Englishman's part. The plan – which they now knew had consisted of sneaking the German-born Basterds in under the guise of being von Hammersmark's escort and two German cameramen – had been forced to be altered, so now Donny's original job, setting up a stakeout outside of the premiere with the other remaining Basterds to ensure nobody escaped, had changed. It was up to him, Aldo, and Omar to take out not just the Third Reich, but also the man in charge – Hitler himself. The fate of the war, the fate of his people, they all rested in _his _hands now.

And now any hope that he'd had of living past this war or of having any sort of future with Klara Bathurst was quickly fading away right before his very eyes.

With a heave Donny raised a hand up to push it through his hair in agitation while he sat staring blankly into the deserted Nadine streets. He normally wouldn't have chosen such an open spot to help himself to a cigarette, but seeing as it was probably around three in the morning at this point he couldn't bring himself to care about how exposed he was – it wasn't like there were tons of people flooding the streets when it was this late at night, anyway. He raised the cigarette up to his lips again, sucked in a deep drag, and willed the tobacco to not only calm his racing thoughts, but also soothe the sick feeling that had settled in his stomach since the moment the tailor had begun fitting him for his death-suit – it didn't work.

Donny shook his head and cursed himself. It wasn't as if a part of him wasn't _ecstatic_ about being the one to bring that mass-murdering shithead to justice – when he'd agreed to join the Basterds he'd dreamed, even yearned, for this very thing to happen no matter the cost. It was _their_ task, _their_ duty_,_ to make sure that these demons were brought to justice and if they had to sacrifice their ownlives in order to see the mission carried out, so be it. It was sheer dumb luck that Hitler and the entire Third Reich were slated to be present and there was no way they weren't going to capitalize on such an advantageous twist of fate. By this time tomorrow the war could be over and by God it _would _be fucking over. It was what they'd been working towards this entire time and they could not throw in the towel now, it was as simple as that.

But any excitement he felt about bringing down Hitler was being rapidly overshadowed at that exact moment – he simply could not get Klara's face out of his mind right then, nor rid himself of the churning feeling in his stomach at the thought of leaving her behind.

Klara had been completely unexpected. He wasn't _supposed _to come here and become involved with some tenacious, German woman and he sure as hell hadn't meant to fall in love with her; it had just _happened._ They'd met under the strangest of circumstances, somehow managed to fall in love with each other, and even though he _knew _he shouldn't have allowed himself to think such things, somewhere along the line Donny had allowed himself to start hoping for a future with her beyond the war. He imagined he could have convinced her to move to America, where he would have undoubtedly married the fiercely determined yet unbelievably amazing woman, had a dozen children with her, and they would have happily bickered at and loved one another until they were old and grey.

Donny smirked to himself as he suddenly pictured a rowdy brood of children, some with his dark hair and others with their mother's blonde tresses – he could only imagine what their kids would have been like. His quick temper mixed with her tenacity and strong-mindedness? They would have been absolute monsters.

But in the next moment all thoughts of marriage or children vanished and an all-encompassing fear settled throughout his body when he remembered that she _too _was supposed to be in attendance at the premiere. He couldn't let her go, no – he _wouldn't _let her go. As God was his witness, if Klara walked through that door then he was going to drag her right back outside himself, no matter who was watching. And no one would be able to stop him; not Landa, not her brother, not even Hitler himself.

His slightly deranged thoughts finally came to a halt when he heard the door behind him open and close a few minutes later. "There ya are, Donowitz…" Aldo said as he appeared at Donny's side. The man let out a long heave and then plopped himself down onto the curb only a foot or so away – when Donny turned a look on his commanding officer there was an expression on his face that seemed both slightly sympathetic and shrewd, as though Aldo knew exactly what Donny was brooding over.

"What's the word?" Donny asked as he took another drag from his cigarette, shifting his eyes away again in a futile attempt to keep Aldo from deciphering anything else he was thinking of – the last thing he needed was for his Lieutenant to think he'd gone soft the night before they were supposed to murder the most evil man in the world.

"Suits'll be ready no later'n noon." Aldo answered. He then reached into his pocket and produced a flask, taking a long sip before offering it to Donny. Donny accepted it with a nod and knocked back a generous helping. "We'll rendezvous with von Hammersmark at 'er hotel 'round six thirty, pick 'er up, then head in'ta that premiere. After that…show time."

So that was that. They'd waltz in with bombs strapped around their ankles, pray to everything holy that they could pass themselves off as Italians, and as soon as he was positive that Klara Bathurst was _far _away from the _Stolz der Nation _premiere then they were going to blast the place apart like it was the Fourth of July. So long Hitler, so long World War II, and so long Sergeant Donny Donowitz. Donny nodded in understanding and finished his cigarette before flicking it away. He then took another drink from the flask and passed it back over to Aldo, skillfully avoiding the man's gaze.

For a long moment neither man spoke, both seemingly lost in their own thoughts. But after a couple of minutes Aldo reached over and patted Donny on the shoulder. "I know this ain't easy fer you, Donowitz. I know how ya feel 'bout that woman'a yers." He said slowly, surprising him with the almost consoling tone to his voice. Donny tensed in response to the subject change but didn't say anything in response, finding it too personal and too uncomfortable to discuss matters such as these with a man like Aldo – or anyone, really. "Why don't ya get on outta here, go spend one last night with 'er – it's the least I can do considerin' the sacrifice yer 'bout'ta make. I'll send Omar 'n Utivich'ta pick ya up at first light."

Donny immediately looked at Aldo in astonishment, not entirely sure he'd heard him correctly. "Lieutenant?"

"Ya heard me." Aldo responded in an unaffected tone. He took a moment to pull out a familiar looking container of powdered snuff from his pocket, not even bothering to look over at Donny. "And that ain't a suggestion." He added, inhaling some of the snuff into first his right nostril, then his left. "That's'n order."

Donny only hesitated for one more second before snatching up the gun he'd set off to the side some time ago and hopping to his feet, having caught his second wind at the thought of seeing Klara one last time. "Thank ya, sir." He told him, a rarely felt (at least these days) wave of gratitude washing over him in light of his commander's unexpected leniency.

"Yeah, don't mention it." Aldo said with a dismissive wave – Donny thought he spied a smirk on the corner of the man's mouth, even though it looked like he might be trying to hide it. When Donny stuck his hand out to his commander, the man eyed it for only a beat before shaking it firmly. "Now git."

* * *

Sleep was a stranger to Klara Bathurst on this night.

No matter what she did, no matter how many times she readjusted her pillows and attempted to get comfortable, there was absolutely no hope for her to get any sort of rest. Her worry over what had happened in Nadine and her fear that Donny might be dead had left her terrified, anxious, and her mind racing as she fretted now, more then ever before, over the safety of the man that she had fallen so deeply in love with. For hours she tossed and turned until eventually she had grown frustrated and forgone her attempts to sleep entirely, choosing to find _something_ to try and occupy both her time and her thoughts for however long she was going to remain awake.

But even then nothing worked – whether cleaning her home to try and remove any remnants of Kurt and Landa's visit, pacing the entire length of her house and then some, or mindlessly staring out into the quiet streets, her thoughts always returned to one thing: Donny.

Was he alive? Was he hurt? Or, by some miracle and the grace of God, was he perfectly fine and just biding his time until he could come to her?

She'd known all along that there was a very real chance of losing Donny to the icy hands of death – he partook in dangerous excursions with his comrades every single day. But never before had she actually _known _that a mission had gone awry and never before had Klara ever had reason to be this completely and utterly terrified that she might have indeed lost him. The mere possibility of it left her feeling as though someone had grabbed ahold of her heart and squeezed with all of their might. With each second that ticked by where he wasn't with her she felt as though she were being pulled under by a riptide of sadness, where there was naught she could do but let her fear come out in the form of her tears and try desperately to remember how to breathe.

It wasn't until nearly four in the morning, while Klara was sat near the front window with a hand placed protectively over the place harboring the life she and Donny had created, that she heard it – a tap on her study window.

The sound was so faint at first that initially she thought she might have either misheard the noise or maybe even made it up entirely. But when another tap sounded, followed by the distinct _whooshing _sound of a window opening, Klara all but flew from her seat and raced to the study. It didn't occur to her to be worried that someone might be breaking into her home; her hope that Donny had finally come to her was far too great to even fathom such an occurrence taking place. When she finally rushed through the doorway, blinking her eyes rapidly to force them to adjust to the dim lighting in the room, a very familiar figure was ungracefully half-climbing, half-falling into her study and pulling himself back to his feet.

"_Donny_!"

She couldn't have stopped the cry if she'd wanted to and didn't hesitate even a nanosecond to cover the space between them and throw her arms around him in a vice hug. Donny returned her embrace just as adamantly, one of his hands burying into her hair as she latched onto him like her life depended on it, and it was all she could do not to dissolve into relieved tears to be back in his arms. Just knowing that he was alive and breathing and seemingly unharmed made her want to sing with happiness – instead of singing, she began kissing every inch of his face that she could reach.

"I was," kiss, "_so worried_," kiss, kiss, "Landa and Kurt were here," kiss, "a man came to say," kiss, "what had happened in Nadine," kiss, kiss, kiss, "I thought you were dead!"

Donny finally placed his hands on either side of her face so that he could still her motions, taking a second to look her in the eye before pulling her in for a kiss. "I'm sorry for worryin' ya." He told her, his thick accent ringing clear and sounding like music to her ears. "Things…didn't go as planned." He added.

"I should say so." Klara agreed, finally managing to get a bit of a reign on her emotions. "I am sorry to hear of your comrades." She added softly, offering a sympathetic look.

A grim expression took over his handsome features for a moment before he shook his head, appearing as though he were trying to clear his thoughts. In the next moment he let out a heavy sigh before gently tracing the curve of her cheekbone with his thumb – as he did this his eyes swept over her facial features slowly, giving her the distinct impression that he was trying to memorize the way that she looked just then.

Immediately the nagging feeling that hadn't fully left her for over a day came forth with a vengeance and Klara knew right then that something was wrong. As her eyes adjusted to the light some more she noticed that there was a splattering of blood adorning his clothes, evidence of the tumultuous night that he'd had – he looked tired, he looked worn, and he looked stressed as he continued to simply stare at her without uttering another word. It was only then that the fog of happiness began to fade away and that she remembered her strict warning for him not to visit her home now that both Kurt _and _Landa were nearby. Why had he risked coming here in the middle of the night when he knew it was unsafe? And _why _was he currently looking at her the way that he was?

"Donny, is everything alright?"

He blinked as though coming out of some form of trance. "Klare…" He said heavily. "Ya can't go to that premiere tomorrow."

Her eyebrows immediately came together in confusion. "I told you, I will try to – " She began to say.

"_No._" He interjected sharply, making her immediately snap her lips shut. "I fuckin' mean it – ya _can't go_, do ya understand? _Promise me_ that ya won't." He demanded next.

Klara gulped as an uncomfortable feeling settled within her bones. She already knew something was going to happen at the premiere, Shoshanna had told her so herself. But had the Basterds somehow become involved in this plan or were they simply carrying out a mission of their own? "Donny, you are worrying me. What is wrong?"

"I wanna hear ya say it, Bathurst." He demanded gruffly. "Promise me that ya won't be anywhere _near _that theater tomorrow." With a frown, Klara opened her mouth to begin demanding answers from him. But Donny seemed to realize that she was about to do this very thing and cut her off again. "Goddammit woman, for _once _in ya life stop bein' a stubborn-ass and just do what I ask!" He said impatiently. When he saw that his snappish tone had offended her, he tried a different tactic. "It's gonna be dangerous at that premiere and I can't stand the thought of ya bein' there, alright?" He finally admitted. "Just…please don't go."

Though Klara was under the distinct impression that he wasn't telling her everything, she decided not to argue with him any further just then. "I will do absolutely everything I can not to attend the premiere." She agreed slowly, nodding her head. "You have my word."

Donny let out a sigh of relief before he swooped in and claimed her lips in a fierce kiss. The intensity of it surprised her some but she recovered quickly and returned the gesture just as fervently, threading her fingers into his hair as he pulled her close and held on to her as though he never wanted to let her go. A sound of approval welled up in his throat at her ministrations as he locked his hands underneath her rear and hauled her into the air, anchoring her against him before beginning to head in the direction of her bedroom.

Their lovemaking was different this time. Klara had never once been unsatisfied when making love with Donny, in fact being with _him _left her feeling far more satiated then she'd ever thought could be possible, but _this _time Donny took his time with her. Unlike in the past, he didn't seem to care that they only had a short while and there was no frenzied rush to rid each other of clothes or reach that final moment of completion – they made love slowly, passionately, clinging to each other desperately and whispering sweet words of love as they worked towards that final precipice together. Even though Klara had been certain she'd figured out all there was to know about Donny in the months that she'd known him, this was a side to him she'd never seen before. His eyes held hers the entire time they made love, his lips constantly showered every inch of her skin with tender affection, his fingers remained interlaced with her own as he reminded her over and over again how much he loved her – she'd never felt so wholly connected to another human being.

But as they lay in bed afterwards, both thoroughly exhausted but trying valiantly not to fall asleep, Klara felt a real fear beginning to creep into her mind. Because try as she might, she could not shake the feeling that this night – him coming to her when he knew it was dangerous, their passionate lovemaking, the constant reminders of love – was Donny's way of saying his goodbyes.

Between Shoshanna's plans and now the Basterds', Klara knew the premiere was going to be dangerous. But was Donny going to be directly involved in something and just couldn't find the courage to tell her about it? The thought that he had come just so that he could have one last night with her had her heart twisting violently, but as the sunlight finally began to creep in through her window and Klara lifted her head from his chest to look at him, he seemed completely at peace. His eyes were closed as he lounged in her bed, his chest was rising and falling evenly, and he looked the picture of relaxation – surely if he had come to say goodbye then he wouldn't be this peaceful, right?

"Donny?" Klara asked gently. He stirred a bit and opened his warm, brown eyes, peering at her curiously as he waited for her to speak. "What does Aldo have planned for tonight?"

Donny sighed and tightened his hold on her, frowning to himself while his fingers absentmindedly traced circles over her back. "I don't know if I should tell ya that, Klare."

Klara sighed and sat up a bit more so she could look him directly in the eye. "You should know that Shoshanna has something planned." She revealed. "She came to me two nights ago and told me so herself." Donny's eyebrows shot up at this. "Shoshanna did not go into detail but I believe she plans murder for Landa and the Third Reich. So whatever it is that you feel you have to do…perhaps, in actuality, you do not?" She offered lamely, hoping in vain that the knowledge of Shoshanna's plans would somehow change whatever plans he may have.

No such luck – Donny immediately frowned and then shook his head. "This is different, Klare. Its bigger then Landa, bigger then the Third Reich. What we've got planned…it has to be done." She was just about to ask him what could possibly be bigger then Landa and the Third Reich when a horn sounded out in the street. Donny heaved, pressed a kiss to her forehead, then moved out of bed so that he could take a look out of the window. "Utivich and Omar are here." He told her, his voice taking on a strange tone. "I have to go."

Klara felt rooted to her spot on the bed as she watched him move about her room and begin pulling on his clothes. The feelings of worry and dread were mounting so greatly within her that she almost began to feel sick from the overwhelming emotions, but she could not force a word past her lips. She didn't want to see Donny go, couldn't bear the thought of him walking out of her door never to return again, but couldn't put a voice to her fears. When Donny was finally dressed he came to the bed so that he could give her a long, love filled kiss, and when he pulled away there was an unreadable expression on his face that she simply could not decipher. He raised a hand to her face, brushed an errant blonde lock of hair away, and let out a heavy sigh.

"I love ya, Klare. Very much."

She had to gulp past a lump in her throat. "And I love you, Donny Donowitz. More then I ever thought could be possible."

Donny smirked at her in return, looking like himself again for a split second, then kissed her forehead before standing to his feet and heading for the door to her bedroom. He paused so that he could look at her over his shoulder for a long, lingering moment, then nodded to her once in departure before stepping into the hallway. She realized then that he was leaving and, for all she knew, this could be the last time she might ever see him. It was as though everything has suddenly clicked into place and she knew then, without a shadow of a doubt, that Donny _had_ come to say his final goodbyes. He had no intentions of walking back out of that premiere tonight but hadn't been able to tell her. She was never going to see him again, their child would never know his or her father.

_Their child!_

Suddenly there was life in her limbs again. As Donny disappeared from sight Klara jumped to her feet, scrambling around to find something to throw on before chasing after him. "Donny, wait!" She said desperately, practically falling into the hallway in her haste to catch up with him. He froze at the end of the hall and turned to face her – she thought she spied a pained expression on his face for the briefest of seconds. "Do not think me a fool." Klara continued, hurrying up to him. "You do not plan to return, do you?"

"Klare – "

"Tell me the truth." She cut in quickly, fighting against the emotion welling up inside of her. "After everything we have been through, I deserve to know the truth."

Donny heaved and then shook his head. "Nobody goin' in to that theater's coming back out, Klare." He finally admitted slowly.

It was all of her worst fears confirmed – Donny was going on a suicide mission. As tears immediately filled her eyes Donny closed the gap between them and wrapped her up in his arms, whispering words of apology over and over again in her ear. But she did not hear them. All she could think of was the fact that she would never see him again after this moment. The man that had stolen her heart, that had made her feel _alive _again and had helped create the baby growing inside of her, was going to die tonight. Klara felt like her heart had been launched up into her throat as she clung to him tightly, felt like a part of her was being ripped to shreds. How could this be? Why, when there had been so much hope for them, was _this _their end?

A horn blared again outside, interrupting the moment. "Klare – " Donny started regretfully.

"You must not do this." Klara immediately argued, tightening her grip on him when he tried to disentangle himself from her. She knew it was selfish of her to demand such a thing, but she simply couldn't stop herself. "You _must _come back – you _have _to come back to me, Donny!"

"I…I can't – " He started again in a thick voice.

"You _can_." Klara interrupted yet again. Then she grabbed his hand and pressed it desperately against her stomach. "For _us_." For a long moment Donny didn't seem to understand what she had just told him. But then, as her words sunk in and realization dawned on him, his eyes went extremely large and his jaw fell in shock. There was a stretch of silence where neither dared to say anything, then Klara finally mustered up the courage to speak again. "I – I wanted to tell you." She told him guiltily. "But I was afraid."

"You…you…you're…" Donny managed out through heavy heaves for air.

"Pregnant." Klara confirmed with a timid nod. "It was why I was so sick."

Klara fell silent after that and waited to hear what Donny would have to say. Would he be angry? Would he be happy? Would the knowledge that he was going to be a father be enough to sway his decision about the night's events? But Donny _didn't _say anything – after what felt like an eternity he simply dropped to his knees in front of her, grasped her by the waist, and buried his face against her stomach. Klara smiled as a few tears went trekking down her cheeks and rested a hand on the back of his head, cradling him to her as his shoulders began to tremble a little bit. When she felt him press a kiss against her stomach, she felt a renewed sense of hope.

"Do you see now? You are going to be a _father_, Donny – we are going to be a _family._"

In the next moment, as Donny got to his feet again, Klara was certain that she'd managed to convince him not to go through with this mission. There was a small smile on his face, a gleam in his eye again, and it was obvious that the news he was going to be a father had made him happy. He lifted a hand up to rest on the side of her neck before pressing a kiss to her lips. "Thank you." He said quietly, his free hand running over her stomach.

Then he pulled away from her and headed for the door, making her frown in confusion. "Donny?"

He paused by the door with his back turned to her. "Get out of town, Klare. Make sure our baby is safe no matter what." He instructed, casting a stern look at her over his shoulder.

Klara took a few steps in his direction, her dread returning. "And what of you?" She asked fearfully. "Surely you will not go tonight, not now!"

Donny squared his shoulders and reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly. "I'll do what I have'ta in order for you and the baby to make it outta this mess alive." He said resolutely, finally pulling the door open. "I love ya, Klare…but I'm makin' sure this war is over _tonight._"

And with that being said and before Klara could move fast enough to try and stop him again, Donny walked out of the door and slammed it shut behind him. For a moment she stood there in shock, unable to believe that he had just left her the way that he had, before she raced for the door. But it was no use – as she opened the door, prepared to call for him and beg for him to stay, he was already getting into a car that the two Basterds named Utivich and Omar had arrived in before the three of them drove off and disappeared from sight.

* * *

Klara didn't know how long she cried for after Donny left her.

The minutes and hours ticked by, the world outside of her home came to life and went about its day as usual, but she remained on her couch and crying her eyes out until she simply had no more tears left to cry. The life that she'd dreamed of, where she and Donny were both alive, away from this mess, and raising their child together in a time of peace, had been viciously ripped away from her in the blink of an eye. Someday she might be able to forgive Donny for his decision to see his mission carried through, but right then she could only feel angry with him. After everything that they'd been through, despite the fact that she'd begged him not to leave her and that she was pregnant with his child, he'd still chosen to participate in the suicidal mission that he'd been handed. It wasn't fair – not to her and certainly not to their unborn baby.

At some point she managed to drag herself to the bathroom to try and clean her face and she had to cringe when she spied her reflection – the woman blinking back at her was not Klara Bathurst at all. This woman looked the picture of depression and was a pitiful sight to behold, not the usual put together Klara that was full of hope and yearning for a brighter day.

So lost was Klara in her turmoil that she didn't even notice as the day dragged on further and further, coming ever closer to the time allotted for the dreaded premiere. That was why when a knock sounded on her door around six o'clock that she was caught quite off guard. She'd been lying in her bed, unable to do much but stare blankly at the ceiling above her and try desperately to cling to anything that still held Donny's scent, and had not expected company. A flash of hope crashed through her as she thought that perhaps Donny had changed his mind and come back for her, and it was enough to send her to her feet and hurrying towards her front door. But when she yanked it open, praying that she'd be greeted with the sight of the man she loved, all of her hope was immediately dashed.

Kurt Bathurst was staring back at her with a quirked eyebrow.

"Why have you not gotten ready?" Kurt asked in a gruff tone, eyeing her critically. "The premiere starts in an hour."

Klara opened and closed her mouth for a moment or two, trying to remember how to speak while simultaneously trying to think of a way that she could get out of this situation. She wanted to curse herself for having sat around wallowing in her self-pity for so long – Donny had told her to get out of town and she'd had all day to do so. Now she was being confronted by Kurt and unsure how to get out of having to attend that God forsaken premiere with him.

"Well?" Kurt demanded impatiently.

"I – I told you last night." She finally managed out in their native language. "I am not well. Perhaps it would be better if I would not attend."

Kurt let out a long heave and she could clearly see him grinding his teeth in annoyance. "Hans informed me that herr Goebbels is expecting us – _both _of us." He told her in a measured tone. "Have you any idea how poorly it would reflect on the both of us should you not be on my arm tonight?"

Klara chewed at the inside of her cheek, trying to hamper down her own feeling of irritation with Kurt. The man would truly do anything to make himself look better, no matter the cost. "I have told you, brother, I am ill – do you not see me right now?" She demanded, motioning to herself. "I would make no good impression tonight in this state. I offer my sincerest apologies for not attending and you may tell herr Goebbels so. Now, I must get back into bed. Have a good evening, Kurt."

Though she knew being short with him wasn't exactly the best idea, sometimes being straightforward (and rather uncouth) was the only way to get through to him. But as she started to shut the door in his face, Kurt apparently was going to have none of her behavior – he blocked the door with his foot before pushing his way in roughly. Klara jumped back in surprise as he barged his way into her house and slammed the door behind him, pinning her into place with a glare.

"How dare you treat me in such a manner?" He growled at her. "After _all _that I have done for you?" She tried to speak up, but he cut her off before a word could get past her lips. "You are the most ungrateful woman I have ever known, Klara, and I am _sorely _disappointed in you." He continued on. Then he grabbed her forcefully by the arm and began dragging her back to her bedroom despite her protests. "But you will _not _disappoint me anymore from this day forward. You will dress, you will make yourself presentable, and you _will _attend this premiere with me whether you like it or not."

They'd reached her bedroom by now and he flung her inside carelessly, not paying her any mind as she stumbled and nearly went toppling face-first to the ground. She watched helplessly as he stomped over to her wardrobe and pulled out the dress that she'd hidden away, yanking it free from its confines before tossing it at her – the ugly sneer on his face made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and she had no choice but to scramble to catch the dress. "Kurt – "

"_Dress - now._" He snapped, making her jump. Then he swiftly made for the bedroom door. "I shall be just outside the bedroom door. We leave no later then six-forty-five, so I suggest you hurry, _sister._" Just before he left he turned back to face her and, for a moment, she was positive she had spotted a look of disgust on his face. "And be sure that your…_mask…_is firmly intact, Klara." He practically spat at her. "You might find yourself in great need of it tonight."

And with that he slammed the bedroom door shut.

Klara heaved for air, trying to fight through her tears, and stared at the door for a long moment. She knew Kurt could be cold and unforgiving, but this was far different from any past behavior. Had Landa gotten to him? Did he know something? She sucked in a shaky breath before finally beginning to change into her dress for the evening, seeing no way of possibly getting out of this situation.

Though she had no idea what Donny and the Basterds had planned for the premiere, it seemed that she might not haveseen her love for the last time after all – Klara would be attending the premiere of _Stolz der Nation _whether she liked it or not.

* * *

**I'm becoming so obsessed with this story all over again. Reivew!**


	19. Chapter 19

**And here…we…go.**

**And yes, I changed up a movie scene a little - didn't want to retype a scene word for word when its been done dozens of times already, so suee me! :)**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing.**

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On any other night and under _any_ other circumstances, Klara might have very much liked to be attending an event of this magnitude. After all, it wasn't very often that she was presented with an occasion requiring her to dress _this _fancily or, speaking honestly, that she was even _invited_ to something to this vast degree of importance at all.

But as it was, there were no jittery feelings of excitement or anticipation within Klara as the car pulled up in front of Shoshanna's theater and came to a halt at exactly six-fifty-three o'clock. Because this was _not _any other night and _this _particular film debut was _not _taking place under ordinary circumstances – instead of the usual gathering of movie stars, popular directors, or successful film producers that one would expect to see, _this _red carpet was being walked by a number of the highest ranking officers in the German military. In place of tasteful and classy decorations, all around the outside of the theater hung long, red, swastika-bearing banners that every Nazi supporter present seemed to be greatly enjoying right then – as Klara exited the car, reluctantly accepting the hand of Kurt when he extended it in her direction to help her to her feet, she spotted numerous men pointing to the banners and nodding in approval. It made her feel sick to see the banners littering the street and even more so because it was outside of _Shoshanna's _theater, but she did her best not to show it.

"Remember what I told you." Kurt muttered to her quietly as he moved her hand to his arm and deposited it in the crook of his elbow.

Klara expected her brother to be glaring at her when she focused her attention on him, seeing as he had been scowling at her since the moment they left her home, but there was a cool smile in place on his face instead – he looked down at her for a moment, quirked an eyebrow as his way of reiterating himself, then began to lead her inside.

If she'd thought the decorations _outside _were bad, the inside was positively vomit inducing. There was Nazi propaganda hanging from just about every inch of the lobby, making everything look obscenely red as Kurt presented their passes to the ticket-takers then ushered her into the loud throng of people loitering around. Instantly her eyes did a sweep of their area on their own accord, looking for any sign of Donny or Shoshanna, but it was nearly impossible to pick out anyone amongst the bustling crowd…then an unsettling feeling consumed her as she surveyed the faces of the people around her again, because in that moment she heard Donny's voice in her head. _Nobody goin' in to that premiere's comin' back out_.

Every single person present, everyone around her – and maybe even _she_, Klara noted with a gulp – was going to die tonight. A waiter came by to present them with a tray of champagne and Klara readily accepted a glass, downing almost half of it in one go in an attempt to calm her suddenly racing nerves.

She needed to think of a way to get out of this theater, and she had to do it _quickly_.

"You must be feeling better, sister, if you find you can drink so enthusiastically." Kurt commented, not even bothering to look at her as he raised his hand and waved to someone that he knew. "_Do_ try not to drink yourself into oblivion." He chastised next.

Anger coursed through her at her brother's words, so much so that with everything that had been happening – Donny confessing to his mission, Kurt treating her like yesterday's garbage, her being forced to attend this terrible event – she wanted _desperately _to say something biting in return, just to spite him. She was not presented with the opportunity, however, because a portly man with a cigar had just spotted Kurt and was noisily making his way over.

"Oberscharführer Bathurst!" The man called, pushing through the crowd without paying much attention to the ones he nearly trampled over.

A wide grin immediately stretched across Kurt's face as he stepped forward, tugging Klara along with him, and met the man halfway. "Luftwaffe Göring, a pleasure as always to find myself in your company." He greeted grandly as he shook the man's hand. Klara had to keep herself firmly in check so as not to look alarmed at being in the presence of the one and only Hermann Göring. "I trust you are having a pleasant evening, sir?"

Göring nodded as he puffed away on his cigar, momentarily distracted when a man walked past him and patted him on the back in greeting. He called out a greeting to him in return before redirecting his attention to Kurt. "A most pleasant evening indeed, but then again how could it not? We are amongst friends, we are to watch a spectacular film based on extraordinary events, and our surroundings are positively charming." He said with a hearty laugh. "I fail to see how this night might be unpleasant."

Klara could very easily think of a way that this night could take a turn for the worst – by being blown to smithereens.

"Indeed." Kurt agreed before motioning towards her. "I do not believe you have met my younger sister. Luftwaffe Göring, it is my pleasure to introduce to you Fraulein Klara Bathurst."

It did not go unnoticed to her that Kurt had purposely referred to as 'fraulein'; there was no doubt that it had been a strategic move on his part to let Göring (and probably every man he planned to introduce her to) know that she was unmarried. "A pleasure, Luftwaffe Göring." Klara said smoothly, forcing on a polite smile before allowing the German man to sweep her hand up and press a kiss to the top of it. She had never been so thankful for the white, pristine gloves she currently wore; they made it impossible for Göring to feel the nervous sweat that had begun to accumulate on her palms.

"A pleasure indeed." Göring reciprocated before releasing her hand and slapping Kurt jovially on the back. "Kurt had previously informed me that he had a younger sister, of course, but he failed to mention her beauty. Shame on you, Oberscharführer! Shame on you indeed!"

"You shall have to forgive me." Kurt responded, chuckling as he laid his free hand over his heart and inclined his head in apology. It was easy for Klara to see that he was laying the charm on very thickly in an attempt to impress the powerful official – his blatantly obvious schmoozing made the already nauseous feeling in her stomach worsen. "Tell me, Luftwaffe, have you seen Hans? He said he would meet me and Klara here but I have yet to see him."

"Hans?" Göring asked before pursing his lips and glancing around the room, searching for the man in question. "I fear I have not, though I am sure our friend is lurking about somewhere." He said just before he spotted someone else that he knew and called out another loud greeting. "You shall have to excuse me, Oberscharführer, Fraulein." Göring said, first nodding towards Kurt, then towards Klara. "I have just spotted an old friend I wish to converse with."

"Of course, of course." Kurt said with a wave of dismissal before firmly shaking Göring's hand. "I hope you enjoy the picture, Luftwaffe Göring."

With that being said Göring turned and quickly disappeared into the crowd, leaving the two siblings alone again. Klara, who had spent the majority of their interaction stealthily searching around both for any sight of Donny or any possible escape routes, finally focused in on Kurt again and could not help but quirk an eyebrow at him. "I was not aware that you were acquainted with Hermann Göring." She stated in a measured tone.

"I am certain there are _many _things you are unaware of, sister." Kurt responded, moving a hand to rest on the one she still had tucked into the crook of his arm. When he finally met her gaze he patted her hand and cast her a disturbing looking smile – he looked so reminiscent of Hans Landa in that moment that it sent a jolt of alarm down her spine. "Let us search for Hans. He will be most delighted to see you."

If Klara _hadn't _already been convinced that Kurt was toying with her in some way, she most certainly would have been in that moment. While still at her home he had been cruel, unforgiving, and showing an open animosity towards her – now, as they wove through the crowds and he paused here and there to introduce her to anyone that he knew, he was regarding her with an expression that was _far _too innocent to be legitimate. It reminded her very much of the way that Landa had treated her when he'd forced her to accompany him to the meeting with Goebbels and she was _positive _that the two were up to something. The time had come to get away from Kurt, but how?

As though someone had heard her silent pleas for _any _form of help, the crowds parted and Klara was finally able to catch sight of people that she recognized. Standing only about ten feet away form her and Kurt was Fredrick Zoller, Dr. Joseph Goebbels and the French interpreter from the other day, as well as a man that Klara recognized to be the German actor Emil Jannings and, to her relief, Shoshanna.

At once Klara's mind went to work, quickly trying to devise an escape plan utilizing the people in front of her. Could she use Goebbels to distract Kurt and slip away? Should she have Shoshanna try to sneak her out once the film had already begun? Or should she not risk it and ask her friend to smuggle her out beforehand? But before the blonde could decide on her course of action, Goebbels had spotted her and immediately raised his hand to enthusiastically wave them over. Kurt, who had involved himself with a quick conversation, did not notice this until Klara nudged him and forced herself to return Goebbels' wave.

"I believe he would like to see us." Klara told Kurt matter-of-factly.

Kurt cleared his throat and then moved a hand up to adjust the collar of his shirt, offering a quick smile and a wave as he made eye contact with Goebbels. "So it would seem." He said rather stiffly. "_Remember _what I said." He reminded her yet again with a quick, stern look.

Klara said nothing in response, simply bit down on the inside of her cheek as Kurt began to lead her in Goebbels' direction. When the unattractive German man began calling to them in greeting it caused the rest of the group to focus in on them, all of them now curious as to who it was that Goebbels was calling over. Klara watched as Shoshanna slowly turned towards them, waiting with bated breath for the moment that Shoshanna would realize that she _was_ at the premiere, then inwardly cringed as the woman's eyes went wide upon spotting her. As Klara and Kurt joined the group and while Goebbels greeted her brother with a vigorous handshake, Shoshanna's lips pressed into a tight line and Klara offered only a quick, helpless smile in response.

" – and so _very_ nice to see you again, Fraulein Bathurst."

Klara shifted her attention away from the now recovering Shoshanna and smiled politely at Goebbels, allowing him to sweep her gloved hand up the same way that Göring had. "And you as well, herr Goebbels." Klara responded, hoping the graciousness in her voice sounded realistic. "I should like to wish you congratulations on such a successful evening. I have never seen this cinema so crowded before."

"You cannot say congratulations yet." Goebbels chastised with a wag of his finger. "The night has not even _begun _yet." Then he rested his free hand over hers, which was still being held in his grasp. "Congratulate me _after_." He said suggestively, not even bothering to keep the leer out of his eyes despite the fact that her brother was standing only inches away.

It was all of her self-control not to reveal how truly disgusted she was to even have this man _breathing _in her general direction, let alone addressing her in such a suggestive manner, but Klara managed to successfully disguise how she truly felt; all she had needed to was remember the ill-fate awaiting Dr. Joseph Goebbels that night and Klara was suddenly able to overlook his flirtatious manner – Klara smiled at the German in a far-too-kind-to-be-legitimate sort of way, nodded her head to him in response to his suggestion, then gently pulled her hand out of his grasp as though she were completely unaffected but his words.

There was a quick round of introductions amongst the group – where Kurt and Fredrick shook hands firmly and expressed their happiness at seeing one another again (as Klara had suspected, the two had met on a few other occasions), and where Jannings kissed Klara's hand just before Shoshanna, in turn, squeezed the living daylights out of it – before the men immediately fell into conversation with each other about. Klara and Shoshanna stood in silence, shooting discreet looks at one another whenever the others weren't paying attention, while the French interpreter on Goebbels' arm continued to glare in Klara's direction. The German woman ignored her and took a second to look around again instead, wondering for the hundredth time where Donny might be at that moment.

" – _seems_ to be distracted."

The words had just hit Klara's ears at the same time that Kurt nudged her none-too-gently in the ribs to grab her attention. She turned back forward with raised eyebrows, glancing back and forth between Kurt and Goebbels in slight confusion. "Forgive me, you were saying?"

"I was asking when you would be in Germany next, but you were too busy searching the crowds to hear me." Goebbels informed her slowly, quirking an eyebrow at her before glancing around the crowd in an exaggerated manner. He was obviously mimicking her and it drew a few chuckles from Zoller and Jannings. "Is our conversation _that _boring?"

All of this had been said with a stoic, unreadable expression on his face, so Klara wasn't entirely sure if Goebbels was just joking with her or if he was genuinely annoyed that she hadn't been paying attention to him. "Of course not, herr Goebbels. I was…simply…" Klara wracked her brain for a moment. "Searching for the bathrooms." She excused quickly. "Too much champagne, I fear."

"Oh, well, I think – " Jannings began to say in a helpful sounding tone, turning to point in the direction of the staircase.

"What is happening?" Shoshanna asked in French, cutting off Jannings in the middle of his sentence – since she did not speak German, she had no idea what the group had just been discussing. She seemed the slightest bit alarmed that Klara was receiving so much attention at the present moment, though.

"Your bathrooms." Klara answered back in French, shrugging at her helplessly with a small smile on her face. "Might you show me where they are, mademoiselle?"

It was strange to be addressing Shoshanna in such a formal manner considering how close of friends they _actually _were, but Klara's 'mask' (as Kurt had deemed to) seemed to be convincing enough – none of the people standing with them seemed suspicious even in the slightest as they turned expectant eyes on Shoshanna. "Of course." Shoshanna responded quickly, fidgeting under the scrutiny of the group.

As Shoshanna began to share a few quick words with Fredrick, Klara gently freed her hand from the crook of Kurt's elbow. "Might I have my ticket?" She asked, extending her hand towards him. "In case they begin seating while I am still indisposed."

Klara didn't really have any need of the ticket at all – she was more trying to signal to Kurt to continue into the theater without her so that while he was seated, she could sneak away unnoticed. By the time he would realize Klara was _not _coming back, she would already be long gone. "Sure." Kurt said slowly, reaching into the pocket of his jacket to produce the ticket. He handed it over to her but did not immediately relinquish his hold on the movie pass even though Klara had made a grab for it. "I will inform herr Goebbels of your plans regarding Germany while you are gone."

Klara almost visibly started at this and looked to her brother in confusion. "My plans?" She questioned him. As far as _Klara _knew, she had no plans to return to her home country any time soon – in fact, the only plans _she_ had centered around trying to make it out of Shoshanna's cinema _alive_ that night.

But Kurt only smirked in response and finally released the ticket. "You will want to hurry." He suggested, motioning for her to move along with a wave of his hand. "Seating should commence soon."

Klara nodded in understanding and shot Kurt one last odd look before turning to nod at Shoshanna. "The ground level bathrooms are _this _way." Shoshanna announced, making a bit of a show out of leading Klara in the right direction. She swept an arm out a bit too grandly when she motioned the German woman forward before quickly following after her. Klara tried hard to ignore the woman's over-exaggerated movements and kept her lips firmly shut until she was certain that they were out of earshot.

"Relax, _Emmanuelle._" Klara hissed at her friend, shooting a quick glance over her shoulder to see if Kurt was watching them – he wasn't paying them any mind now that he and Goebbels were in the middle of a conversation again. "Or you will give us away."

"_Relax_?" Shoshanna whispered incredulously. "Do not tell me to relax_._ _You_ are supposed to be home – what the hell are you doing here?"

"Remove that tone from your voice, I had no say in the matter." Klara answered snippily, not in the mood to argue right then.

"Klara, you _must _leave." Shoshanna said firmly, pulling her to a quick stop with a hand on her arm. "If you want your baby to – "

"I know that already." Klara interrupted, sucking in a long breath before releasing it as a heave. She shared a look with Shoshanna before flashing her a pleading look. "Tell me where I may go, tell me what I must do to leave this cinema undetected." She practically begged, finally showing her vulnerability.

Shoshanna took a moment to think their options over before placing a hand on her shoulder and pushing her in the direction of the entrance. "Go into the women's bathroom and lock the door. If anyone asks, I shall tell them the bathroom is out of order." She instructed, moving along with her for a few strides. "Hide there until the theater is seated. Once the movie is underway, I will come and release you."

"Thank you." Klara said sincerely, squeezed her hand graciously for the briefest of seconds before heading towards the designated bathrooms.

So, she would hide in the bathroom while everyone took their seats and wait until Shoshanna could let her out again to make her escape – it wasn't much of a plan, but it was just about the only feasible option that had been laid before her since walking into the theater. Klara squared her shoulders as she pushed through the crowd, hurrying towards the bathroom that she knew (and very well, I might add) were on the first floor with the intent of hiding herself away. She was just pushing in between two people, quickly saying her apologies when she bumped a grumpy looking old man, and turned to continue on her way when...

There he was.

Klara came to a screeching halt, feeling her heart drop down into her stomach as she realized that Donny was not only present, but only standing only some six feet away from her. The first thought to pass through her mind, despite the lurking danger all around, was how _unbelievably_ handsome he looked when he was dressed up – the cut of the suit on his muscular frame combined with his styled hair and freshly bathed skin had Klara momentarily forgetting the predicament she was currently in. It wasn't until his eyes darted over to hers for a second, only to dart back again and widen with shock, that Klara was finally brought back to reality.

"Ah, Klara! There you are!"

She cursed herself over and over and over again in her head for letting her shock get the better of her – Hans Landa had noticed Donny's distraction, turned to see what had captured his attention, and had now spotted her. Her chances of leaving the theater and escaping to safety suddenly seemed much more dismal then before. "Hans." Klara greeted, forcing on a smile. She had no choice but to join him for a moment as he motioned her over and diligently kept her eyes _off _of Donny. "There _you _are – Kurt and I have been searching for you since we arrived. I am afraid, however, I was on my way to – " She started to say, motioning towards the bathroom.

"Nonsense, stay and meet my new friends." Landa said with a dismissive wave of his hand and a wide grin. She nodded in agreement, trying not to cringe when she felt Landa's hand on her back, and let her eyes briefly meet Aldo's – he was watching her with a deadpanned expression on his face, giving absolutely no hints as to what he thought of the current situation. "Have you met the beautiful Fraulein von Hammersmark?"

"I have not." Klara responded as she turned to face the group in front of her fully. She tried not to let her eyes linger on Donny for too long of a time but it was impossible to miss how tense and (admittedly) how _angry _he seemed right then; as his eyes darted back and forth, she was certain that he was contemplating how to go about dragging her out of the theater right then and there. "Klara Bathurst." She said, extending her hand to the only other woman present.

"Her brother is a very dear friend to me." Landa explained to von Hammersmark. "You might know him, his name is Oberscharführer Kurt Bathurst?"

"I know the name but not the man." Von Hammersmark answered with a quick shrug. "But it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Bridget von Hammersmark." She reciprocated, shaking Klara's hand for a quick moment.

"Yes, indeed. I am a big fan of your work." Klara complimented before shifting her attention to the three Basterds.

"And I am afraid that these three _Italian_ gentlemen speak _no _German, my dear." Landa spoke up in a regretful tone. Then he gestured towards Aldo. "This one here is a stuntman however – how exciting does that profession sound? His name is Enzo Gor – _lah_ – loh...Gor_loh_…" Klara cast Landa an odd look both because he was _entirely _too chipper and because he seemed to be struggling over the name. After a few more attempts on Landa's part, he said something in rapid Italian to Aldo that she couldn't understand (since she didn't speak the language). She would guess, however, that he was asking Aldo how to pronounce the name properly.

"Gor_la_mi." Aldo said in a patient tone, his accent sounding horrendous. When Landa still appeared confused and (Klara was guessing) asked him to repeat himself again, Aldo half rolled his eyes and leaned closer. "Gor_la_mi." He stated pointedly, now looking downright unamused with the whole situation.

Landa nodded in acceptance then turned towards Donny. "And these handsome gentlemen are Antonio Marg…?"

Landa let the name linger on the tip of his tongue and watched Donny with expectant eyes, clearing waiting for him to finish saying the name himself. Donny, who had been trying to keep his calm façade in place, finally managed to tear his gaze away from Klara when he received a discreet nudge from Omar. "Margheriti." He answered in a surprisingly conversational tone.

The exchange that followed after that was one of the more awkward situations that Klara felt she'd ever been put in. As Landa continued to question Donny not once, not twice, but _three _times on the pronunciation of his fake last name, the tension around the group grew with each passing second – Klara was also positive that Donny's Italian accent was actually becoming more and more atrocious with each attempt at saying the fake name. When she glanced over at Landa to gauge his reaction he didn't seem entirely convinced with the Basterd's act. It then became clear to her fairly quickly that the detective was becoming suspicious of the three men, assuming he hadn't already been so to begin with.

As Landa moved on to introduce Omar, drawing two quick introductions of 'Dominic Decocco' from him, Klara paid him no mind and chose to take advantage of his momentary distraction. She shared a quick, pointed look with Donny behind the German's back, trying to mentally convey to him that they were more then likely on the verge of being caught; he only looked towards the door pointedly for the briefest of moments before plastering a smile on as Landa refocused his attention on the group.

"So tell me, Klara, where is your brother?"

"Conversing with herr Goebbels." She answered, half-turning so that she could point in the direction she had left her brother. When Klara did this, however, she noticed that Kurt was making his way towards them. "Or rather, he comes to joins us now."

Kurt arrived exactly two seconds later, making the already tense situation even _more _uncomfortable then it had already been – a gleam had entered Donny's eye that Klara recognized _far _too well now that he was finally face to face with her brother. "Hans, there you are." Kurt greeted with a grin, shaking the man's hand. He then took a moment to look down at Klara curiously. "You have already visited the bathrooms?" He asked, seemingly surprised that she had been so quick.

"Actually, I was just – " Klara began, still in the midst of attempting to put her escape plan in motion.

"She was just meeting my new friends." Landa interrupted yet again, making it impossible for Klara to finish her sentence. This was the second time now that Landa had purposefully kept her from leaving his sights and it was beginning to unnerve her quite a bit. What was Landa up to? "Kurt, I would like you to meet Bridget von Hammersmark." Kurt immediately kissed the woman's hand and flashed her a quick wink. "And Signore's Gor_la_mi, Margheriti, and Decocco." He finished, stressing the pronunciation of each last name.

"A pleasure." Kurt greeted cordially – the three Basterds simply inclined their heads to him in response.

"Well, gentlemen and Fraulein Bathurst," Von Hammersmark spoke up, stepping forward to catch the attention of the group, "I believe the time has come for my two cameraman friends to find their seats." She suggested.

As Landa asked to see their Basterds' tickets and mused aloud in Italian while scrutinizing the passes, Klara felt a rush of gratitude towards von Hammersmark – she had no idea how she was connected with the Basterds, nor did she have the time to try and figure it out, but at least von Hammersmark was trying to diffuse the tense situation.

"Zero-zero-ventitre," He continued, passing over Donny's ticket first, then Omar's. "Zero-zero-ventiquattro…" Then he suddenly turned towards Klara. "Perhaps you should get moving along as well, Klara." The German suggested, placing a hand on her back again and gently nudging her in the direction of Donny. "It will be far easier to find your seat if you do so now."

As Klara, Donny, and even Omar's faces took on expressions of slight alarm, Kurt took a step forward and cast a questioning look towards Landa. "Should I go as well?"

"Not yet, I have a small bit of business for you before you take your seat." Landa said with a quick shake of his head.

Immediately red flags began going up in every corner of her mind. Landa, who was surely unconvinced with the Basterds and harboring suspicion towards them, was now forcing her into their company while also detaining Kurt? It was in that moment when Klara became certain that Hans Lands had figured out her every last secret – the families, her connection with the Basterds, probably even her relationship with Donny; he knew it all. Klara felt her heart drop into her stomach as Landa said something to Donny and Omar in quick Italian, probably informing them to show her to her seat before telling them goodbye. _How could this have happened?_

In a last attempt to try and throw Landa off of her scent (even though Klara knew it was a futile attempt), she tried to take Omar's arm instead of Donny's in hopes it would confuse the detective. But just as the German tried to tuck her hand into crook of Omar's elbow, Donny intercepted her and firmly placed it on _his _arm instead. Then he called out a quick _'Arrivederci'_ to Aldobefore quickly pulling her away.

"You should have let me take _Omar's _arm!" Klara scolded once they were out of earshot, believing now that she and Donny had just walked right into Landa's trap.

Donny immediately glared down at her pointedly. "What the _fuck _are ya doin' here, Bathurst?" He demanded to know, ignoring her statement and sounding very much like Shoshanna had only a handful of minutes ago. "Ya said ya wouldn't come – ya _promised _me."

"I know what I promised." Klara told him, now feeling a bit shaky in light of her revelations. "I tried, I swear I did, but Kurt would not allow it. I had no choice." She told him, begging him with her eyes to accept her explanation. Donny heaved and shook his head, but didn't argue with her any further. "Donny, they know."

"Know what?" Omar asked in confusion, doing his best to weave through the crowds and keep up with their fast pace.

"About me, about _us_…" Klara answered, looking to Donny worriedly. "I do not know how but they have learned my secrets, I am sure of it."

"Do they know _everything_?" Donny asked pointedly, glancing down towards her stomach for a quick second.

"No." Klara told him with a shake of her head. He let out a sigh of relief then pulled her off to the side so that they could let the large crowd keep shuffling past them. Omar stood nearby, watching them with a bewildered expression on his face the entire time. "Donny, I am scared." She admitted to him once they had a small bit of privacy. "I used to not care what would happen when I was caught but circumstances have _changed _now. We need to leave this theater before we are caught and arrested."

Donny turned his eyes away and let out a heave, inspecting the surrounding area for a short moment as he contemplated their options, before meeting her gaze again. "Shoshanna owns this place, so ya been here often, right?" He questioned. After she nodded, he continued. "Then ya gotta know some side exits or _somethin_'. Didn't ya say ya help her 'round here sometimes?"

"Yes." Klara confirmed, firmly trying to push away all of her fears and anxieties and focus on the task at hand – she could not panic now, not when she still had to get to safety. _Think, Bathurst. Think! _"There is a door in the theater." She suddenly remembered as though the idea had struck her like lightening. "It leads to an area behind the movie screen. There is an exit there that leads out to the alley."

"Perfect, let's go." Donny immediately agreed before grabbing her hand and practically dragging her into the theater.

Klara and Omar tried not to create too much of a stir as they pushed into the increasingly full theater and started making their way towards Klara's salvation, but Donny seemed completely uninterested in discretion – whether brushing past an old German officer or a young, female mistress, the Bear Jew roughly bumped and pushed his way through the throng of people until the three of them could hurry along down the aisle. She squeezed his hand and flashed him a warning look, worried that his conspicuous behavior would cause problems for him, but he only quirked an eyebrow and led her towards the door in silence. A few people were watching them curiously when Klara chanced a glance behind her, but most everyone else seemed more interested in their own conversations.

When they reached the door, Donny yanked it open and then ushered Klara inside. She skirted past him, never releasing his hand as he quickly followed, and Omar brought up the rear after he had shut the door behind them. "So, is there something _else _goin' on I should know about?" He asked with furrowed brows as he hurriedly caught up to them.

"No." Donny answered gruffly, leaving no room for Omar to argue with him. Then he stopped short, causing Klara and Omar to turn and see what had caught his attention – there was a large mound of film reels piled just behind the screen. "The fuck is that?" Donny questioned unsurely.

"Shoshanna's plan, I would presume." Klara said slowly, eyeing the film reels for another second before Donny pulled on her again and they resumed their journey.

They reached the side door exactly seven seconds later and Donny wasted no time to open it and quickly lead Klara out into the alley. Omar lingered in the door to check that the coast was clear while Klara let out a sigh of relief, just happy to be out of the theater and with Donny again. She smiled at him when he pulled her around to face him and instantly wrapped her arms around him. "I did not think I would see you again." She whispered, clinging to him tightly.

"Me neither." Donny responded, returning her embrace for a moment before gently disentangling himself from her – the move immediately made whatever happiness had been inside of her evaporate. "Klare, ya gotta go now."

Not again – he was _not _saying goodbye to her again. "Donny, come with me." Klara pleaded, reaching for his hand to grasp it firmly between both of hers. He released a long breath and furrowed his eyebrows, clearly conflicted, but thankfully did not push her away as she leaned up to press a few quick, desperate kisses to his lips. "_Please. _You do not have to do this."

"I do, Klara." He said, freeing his hands so that he could place them on either side of her neck. "You have to understand. After tonight ya brother and Landa will be gone, Hitler will be dead, and there'll be _no more war._ You won't have anything'ta be afraid of anymore – you 'n the baby will be safe."

Klara had to blink past the tears in her eyes and brought her hands up to cover his, pressing her lips together tightly to keep any words from tumbling out – Donny wasn't just doing this for his people, he was doing it to protect _her_ as well. She knew then that there would be no talking him out of his plans. "Donny…" She said helplessly.

"Wait a minute – baby?" Omar suddenly asked incredulous. "_Baby_?"

"Can it, Omar." Donny growled at him, glaring at him momentarily before turning back to Klara. He paused for a moment then leaned down to give her a lingering kiss. "Go. Now." He insisted once they'd parted. "Get the little guy'ta safety." Donny then smirked and moved a hand to brush some hair away from her face. "You'll be a helluva mother."

"You think the baby to be a boy then?" Klara couldn't help but ask, not wanting this last moment with him to end. She did _not _want to think about how this was the last time she'd ever look into his warm brown eyes or feel his lips against hers. These were her last moments with the man that had stolen her heart - Klara wanted to prolong them for as long as she could.

"Course he is." Donny retorted instantly.

Omar was still gaping at them in shock, clearly unable to believe that Klara was actually pregnant, but the two lovers paid him no mind. They shared a long look, neither daring to say another word, until Donny finally kissed her one last time and pulled away from her completely. Klara bit her lip, reaching out for him as he put even more space between them, but could only watch helplessly as he stepped back through the door and back towards his demise. "Donny – "

"I love ya, Klare."

He didn't give her a chance to respond before he slammed the door shut. Klara all but dissolved into tears right then and there and immediately made for the door again, trying in vain to open it even though she knew it would be impossible to do so from the outside without a key. She hit her fist on the door a few times, silently pleading for Donny to change his mind and come back to her, and finally let a few tears escape as her forehead fell against the rusted, metal door.

This was it; her time with Donny had come to an end.

For a brief instance Klara had the wild thought to go tearing back into the theater and refuse to leave unless Donny came with her. But then she remembered the reasoning behind his actions and thought about the safety of the baby growing within her – if Donny loved her enough to sacrifice his life for her, then she had to love him enough to accept his decision and get their child to safety. And though it absolutely broke her heart to turn and walk away from that theater, Klara finally pulled together her last scraps of will-power and courage to turn and make her way down the alley.

_Goodbye, Donny. I love you, _she silently said in parting.

Klara wrapped her arms around herself as she neared the front of the theater, hoping that she would not look too conspicuous on her trip back to her house – God, what was she even going to do? She would have to pack essentials only and hope that there was a transportation service of some sort still running. From there she supposed she would see how far she could get, maybe even take the path of the hiding families and head for the coast. America seemed a safe enough place to go…and _Boston _sounded like an ideal choice for a new home. It would be a strange transition to live there, but at least being in his hometown would make her and the baby feel closer to Donny.

She was so occupied with her rapid thoughts that Klara didn't even notice the person lingering outside of the theater. He had been leaning against the door to the building while casually smoking a cigarette, but as soon as he spotted her, the man immediately flicked cigarette away and straightened up with attention. "I thought I might find you here."

Klara froze as soon as the voice hit her ears. Her blood ran cold, her tongue suddenly felt as though it were made of lead, and it took a great deal of effort to turn and face this unexpected newcomer – when her eyes landed on him, he was smirking at her in triumph.

"What brings you out here, brother?" She asked Kurt warily, watching as he began to stride towards her at a leisurely pace.

"You have been a _very _busy woman, sister." He said, ignoring her question. Klara started as she heard approaching footsteps and glanced behind her to see three more men closing in on her – she fidgeted uncomfortable and turned back to face Kurt as he continued speaking. "I almost find myself impressed, though." He admitted next, almost sounding amused. "I did not think you capable of such treachery, nor of _actually _bedding a Basterd."

With that being said, he nodded once in the direction of the other men – in the next second, two pairs of hands had wrapped around her arms while the third man covered her head with a black bag. She screamed for help, tried to claw and kick her way free, but the men easily overpowered her and began dragging her towards a waiting vehicle. As soon as she was thrown into the backseat they slammed the door shut, trapping her.

"Hans will be expecting us, but I would like to have a chat first – is this fine by you?" Kurt asked as he got into the driver's seat and started up the engine. Her only response was to curse at him angrily. "Excellent." He said in response, unaffected by her words.

Then he pulled the car away from the curb and began driving away from the theater that would soon be the end of the man Klara loved.

* * *

**Cliffhaaaanger! Time to run for cover!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Alright ladies and jellyspoons, is everyone all caught up? Is everyone ready to see what all is in store for Donny and Klara? Only a few more chapters left now – I'm predicting this will be my third to last installment of this story. **

**We are nearing the **_**end.**_

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

* * *

Klara did not recognize the place that Kurt had taken her to once he'd finally removed the black bag from over her head. It looked as though they might be in a workplace of some sort, maybe a doctor's office – either way Klara's concern was _not _trying to figure out where she currently was. The German was far more worried about the fact that her brother had just kidnapped her, knew of her and Donny, and was currently having a quick telephone conversation with whom she could only assume was Hans Landa.

"Yes, just next door." Kurt was saying in their native language. "We will be there shortly, I simply would like to speak with her myself first." Klara stiffened when he turned to cast her an unreadable look – what did he and Landa have planned for her now that they knew all of her secrets? "Of course…of course…I understand you very well, Hans…alright."

He hung up the phone then and came to take the chair opposite of her, looking to her with that same unreadable expression as he relaxed in his seat and began tapping the desk separating them with his fingers. She hadn't dared to say a word yet, not even for the entire time that they had been in the car together, and had no intentions of being the first one to speak now. Klara had no idea what sort of fate awaited her now – she only knew she had to play this as smartly as she could if she wanted her and Donny's child to survive.

"Dear sister, I do not believe I have ever seen you so frightened before." Kurt commented as a smirk turned one corner of his mouth upward. "Or is that _anger _in your eyes?"

"Perhaps you see both?" Klara finally offered, somehow managing to find her voice. "I _was _just kidnapped and thrown into the back of a vehicle at my _brother's _command."

Kurt nodded his head slowly, pursing his lips for a moment. "That is true." He conceded before tilting his head in a scrutinizing manner. "Let me ask you this – what do you expect to happen tonight?"

_I expect to be arrested, maybe even killed, by my own black-hearted brother, _Klara thought to herself. She didn't dare to say the words aloud though. "I have already underestimated you in the past, Kurt, and that is not a mistake I intend to make again." She told him after a moment of hesitation, trying valiantly to keep her voice from trembling. "So you tell me, brother."

She wasn't sure if it was her imagination or not, but for a brief moment Kurt looked as though he might have been offended by her words. "Is that what you think of me now?" Kurt asked her in a measured voice. "Do you think me to be so cold-hearted?"

The words came out before Klara could stop them. "You have done nothing to prove me otherwise."

There was no mistaking the look on Kurt's face now – his expression went flat, his eyes narrowed a bit, and his fingers ceased their steady drumming on the wood of the desk. Klara inwardly cursed herself over and over again for her poor choice of words and held her breath as she waited to see what he would do next. Kurt stared her down in an unnerving way for a few more second before straightening up in his desk and pinning her into place with a no-nonsense expression.

"How long, Klara?" He demanded to know, abandoning any notion of politeness and choosing to get on with business.

"How long concerning what?"

Kurt shook his head, looking unamused. "You _know _what I speak of." Klara _did _know, she simply was trying to stall – though stall for _what_, she had no clue. When she took too long to respond, the German across from her heaved. "My patience has grown very thin in regards to you, sister. I suggest you begin speaking."

_Do not try to play coy with him, Bathurst. It will only get you killed. _"Since spring-time." Klara finally confessed.

Kurt's eyebrows rose at hearing that – he obviously hadn't expected for her and Donny to have been together as long as they had. "And how did you meet him?"

"He was running from Nazi soldiers." She explained, finding it uncomfortable and almost _wrong_ to discuss her and Donny's relationship with Kurt. Speaking of the man she loved to a man like her brother made her feel as though she were degrading her and Donny's relationship some way. "I hid him in my home so he could avoid capture."

"And why would you do that?"

The rapid questions were beginning to make Klara's palms sweat again. If this was how _all _of Kurt and Landa's victims felt, then they certainly had her greatest sympathies. She was feeling more and more nervous by the second as Kurt continued to delve further and further into her secrets. "Many reasons." She admitted, thinking it better to tell him the truth for now. "Because of who he is, because of what the Basterds have been doing…helping him felt like the right thing to do."

"I see." Kurt said shortly, looking displeased. "You approved – or rather, _still _approve – of him murdering Nazis. Men like Emmerich Haugg for example." He surprised her a little by bringing up the now deceased Nazi that had tried so very hard to win her affections. "Why the look of surprise? You were there the night he died, were you not?"

Klara quickly forced herself to recover. "I might have been." She answered vaguely. "And there are many Nazis - like Emmerich Haugg - who have done terrible, unspeakable things." Klara said matter-of-factly, challenging him with her eyes to prove her wrong on the matter. _And also l__ike you, brother._ "All of them deserved the fate they were dealt, Emmerich included."

"And what of me?" Kurt questioned next. "I am Nazi – would _I _have deserved such a fate?"

It didn't escape her notice that he spoke in past tense, as though Donny were already dead and therefore unable to be his downfall now. And though Klara was positive Kurt _did_ deserve to suffer at Donny's hands, she knew better then to tell him that. "You are my brother, Kurt." She said simply, unable to think of anything better to say.

"That does not answer my question." He retorted – then he smirked (despite looking thoroughly unamused) as a dangerous glint entered his eye. "Or perhaps it does…"

Klara inwardly cringed, knowing she was going about this conversation _entirely _wrong. She should be trying to persuade her brother into showing her mercy, not provoking him further and further to anger. She sucked in a deep breath to calm her racing heart and switched tactics to try and remedy the situation. "Kurt, you are the only family I have left now. I have only ever wanted what was best for you." She told him in a sincere voice, only partially telling the truth.

"And have I not done well for myself, Klara?" Kurt immediately snapped back. "In just a short while I have become Oberscharführer Bathurst, am working with German's most renowned detective, and will only continue to climb in rank from this night onward." He explained, pointing his index finger into the desk as though reiterating his point. "I believe I am _perfectly _aware of what is best for me and am seeing to it with great success."

"This is _not _the sort of life mother and father would have wanted for you, Kurt." She said next, desperately trying to find some way to talk sense into her brother.

"And how would you know?"

"Because they would not have wanted to see their only son become a _murderer _of innocent people! It would have _killed _them to see you like this!" Klara confessed to him for the first time, finding his unyielding close-mindedness to be wholly disconcerting. "They wanted _more _for you! For _both _of us!"

"So what would you have had me do then, Klara?" Kurt asked acidly. "Abandon Germany and move to Paris as you did? Join the _Basterds_ in place of the Nazi regime? Maybe even _personally_ _help _the Jewish scum escape Europe?" He laughed scornfully and shook his head, watching her with disapproving eyes. "Do not be so naïve, Klara – it does not suit you."

His words made her heart pound against her ribs. She had already suspected that he and Landa had discovered her secret, but hearing Kurt actually _speak _of her involvement with the Jewish families to her face made her breath catch in her throat for a moment. Where had she gone wrong? Where had she made the mistake and given herself away?

"You know my secret then." She stated slowly, seeing no point in skirting around the issue now. "How?"

For a moment Kurt seemed confused. "Know _what _exactly?" He questioned with a note of suspicion. When realization seemed to dawn on him and his eyes went wide with disbelief, Klara felt her blood run cold as the mood between them shifted completely - any hold that Kurt had over his temper seemed to vanish in an instant. "_Are you saying what I think you are?" _He spat at her in a venomous tone, getting to his feet in his sudden anger.

Klara's eyes widened and she actually shrunk back from him in fear. _Imbecile! Imbecile! Imbecile! _She mentally cursed herself, unable to believe that she had just foolishly given away her _own _secret, and Klara had never hated herself more then she did in this moment – she might have been able to convince Kurt to show mercy up until that moment; now she may as well have signed her death certificate in her own blood. "Kurt – " She began to reason.

"Tell me the truth, Klara!" Kurt shouted, making her flinch.

She sucked in a shaky breath, watching him warily, then slowly nodded. "Yes." She confirmed meekly. "It is true."

"_Say. It." _Kurt demanded through clenched teeth, his voice gruff with animosity.

Klara gulped, practically quaking with terror now. "I have been helping Jewish families escape Europe." She admitted in defeat. "For over a year now – ever since I moved to Paris."

A second later Klara's head was jerked to the side as Kurt reached over the desk and slapped her forcefully across the face. Pain erupted in her left cheek but Klara didn't dare to move or even utter a sound of pain – she kept her eyes trained on a bookshelf to her right as she gasped for air, terrified of whatever might come next. Kurt only hesitated for a nanosecond before rounding the desk and locking his hands around her arms in a vice-like grip. She flinched again as he yanked her none-too-gently out of her chair and shook her in his anger.

"You traitorous _whore_!" He spat at her in absolute disgust. "You help the Basterds, you bed the Bear Jew, you dare to offer _wrongful __salvation _to those parasites – those _kikes_!" Each accusation was accompanied by a firm shake. Klara would have tried to escape, but Kurt was simply too strong for any hope to break free of him. "_How could you do this? How could you taint our family name in such a way?_"

"Kurt, please." Klara pleaded, abandoning her pride and resorting to drastic measures. Had she not been pregnant Klara would have gladly fought back, but since that was not that case she tried a different approach – she had to try and find a way to make it out of this alive. "Show mercy! I am your _sister_!"

Kurt threw her roughly back into the chair, causing both it and Klara to almost go toppling to the floor. "You are no sister of _mine_." He growled.

For a long moment they stared one another down in complete silence; Klara with her cheek stinging painfully and heart pounding fearfully, Kurt heaving angrily for breath and looking very much like he wanted to hit her again. Before either could say or do anything more, however, the silence of the room was broken up by the shrill ringing of the telephone – Kurt glared at her for one second before marching over to the phone and yanking the receiver from its holster with more force then was necessary.

"Yes?" He asked in a clipped tone. "Yes…no…yes." Kurt let out a long, aggravated heave. "I will explain in a moment."

He hung up the receiver after that then stomped back towards her. Once he was close enough he grabbed her by the arm, hauled her out of the chair again, then began half-leading, half-dragging her towards the door. Klara didn't dare put up a struggle, but she did at least think it wise to try and talk him down again. "Kurt, I beg of you – "

Kurt pulled them to a screeching halt just before they reached the door and glared down at her, his nose only mere inches from hers. "No amount of _begging _will change what you have done, Klara, nor erase the truth from my memory."

Klara's eyes filled with unshed tears – this was it, this was the end. She had failed Donny and she had failed their child in such an unbelievably catastrophic way. "What will you do to me?" She asked in a soft, shaky voice, not even certain that she wanted to know his answer.

Her brother glared at her as he seemed to contemplate this. "I have not decided yet." He finally answered before beginning to drag her along again.

Once they were in the street, Klara recognized the block that they were on – the restaurant and bar that Kurt was leading her towards was one that she and Shoshanna had liked to go to here or there when grabbing late-night drinks; it was a good handful of miles away from Shoshanna's theater. There were two Nazis standing guard at the entrance and they straightened up as she and Kurt neared, seemingly unaffected by the tears on Klara's cheeks and the obvious fact that she was in a very poor position right then. They held the door open for them so she and Kurt could pass through with ease – as soon as they were inside the restaurant, they were greeted by Landa.

"Ah, Kurt! Klara! Welcome!" He said with a wide smile, his eyes glancing back and forth between the two siblings.

Klara realized quickly that there were three other people in the restaurant – there was a Nazi soldier sitting at a two-way radio (who only spared her a brief glance before continuing to pack up his things) and two familiar men loitering by the bar – two familiar _Basterds, _that is. Utivich set down the wine he'd been drinking while Aldo immediately got to his feet at the sight of her. Kurt shoved her towards them before continuing on toward his partner, immediately starting up a quick, hushed conversation with Landa once he was close enough.

"Klara?" Aldo asked uncertainly, looking both confused and a little bit apprehensive. "Yer s'posed'ta be gone, if memory serves me correct." He added in a low voice. His eyes were on her left cheek and it must have been obvious she had been hit, because his brows immediately furrowed in disapproval.

"I tried." Klara said weakly, crossing her arms over her chest as though that would bring her some sort of protection – Utivich was standing directly behind Aldo and watching her with alarm on his face. "Kurt captured me outside of the theater." Klara spared a glance in the direction of Kurt and Landa. Landa was watching her with an unnerving, unreadable expression on his face. "They know everything."

"_Everything_?" Aldo asked pointedly, shooting a look towards the region of her stomach.

Klara was caught a little off guard by his response. "Donny told you?"

"Yeah, he told me." Aldo confirmed with a nod. "Did ya tell yer brother 'bout it?" He pried again.

"No, that is the one thing they do _not _know." Klara told them, unconsciously moving a protective hand to cover her stomach. Utivich seemed to have put the pieces of the puzzle together quickly and stared at her in stunned disbelief as he realized she was pregnant with Donny's child.

"Probly fer the best." Aldo reassured her. "If they ain't plannin'ta kill ya already, they certainly would fer that."

If one was looking for comforting, consoling words, apparently Aldo the Apache was _not _the man to go to for them – Klara took absolutely no comfort in his words and felt her stomach turn uneasily. "What is happening, Aldo?"

"In a nutshell, the Jew Hunter just struck 'imself a deal with my commandin' officer." He revealed gruffly, turning a scathing look on the man in question. "Him 'n yer brother are gonna be granted American citizenship 'n go down in history as heroes." The words had been said with spite and Klara didn't blame him for it – the knowledge of Kurt and Landa's clean getaway left a sour taste in her mouth.

Klara opened her mouth to say something in response but the words died on her lips as soon as she noticed Landa heading in her direction. Every muscle in her body went rigid and her sudden nervousness was so great that it made her hair stand on end – she thought she saw Aldo take a protective step towards her out of the corner of her eye as Landa drew closer, but couldn't be sure. Landa came to a halt once he was standing in front of her but his flat expression gave no insight to whatever he was thinking or feeling in that moment.

"My, oh my, oh my, dear Klara." He said with a click of his tongue. "I have _severely _underestimated you." She started to speak but he simply held up a calm hand to silence her. "Do not speak." Landa instructed with an authoritative tone. "I have heard _all _that I need to." Then the man glanced at his watch before flashing her a bright smile. "Come, we haven't much time before we are to depart and there is still something I wish for you to see."

Klara had no choice but to follow him when he locked a hand around her wrist and pulled her back into the street – judging by the sounds coming from behind her, Kurt was forcing Aldo and Utivich to exit the restaurant as well. Landa's grip was tight to the point of pain but she only allowed herself to briefly wince, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd hurt her. He led her forcefully to the middle of the street then turned her around to face the building they'd just exited; when he placed his hands firmly on her shoulders from behind in order to keep her in place, she quivered in disgust.

"Do you know what time it is?" Landa asked in an almost conversational tone.

Klara gulped past the lump in her throat and shared a quick look with Aldo. He was standing by a large cargo truck with Utivich, Kurt, and the two-way radio operator – the four of them were watching her and Landa with rapt interest. "No." She finally answered him.

"It is nearly eight o'clock – seven fifty-eight, to be precise." He went on to inform her. "Which means the delightful short-film entitled _Stolz der Nation _will soon be ending and that your lover's plan to blow up the theater should be _well_ underway by now." Klara pressed her lips together in a tight line as a tear went sliding down her cheek – it was the first time she'd actually heard what the Basterds had planned. "Ah, seven fifty-nine now."

Klara understood now exactly what Landa wanted her to see and it was all she could do not to crumble to the ground. This night could not have possibly turned out worse – she had been captured, she had stupidly revealed her own secrets, she and her unborn child were more then likely about to be killed, and now Landa was going to force her to witness Donny's demise. Klara had always known that getting caught would not end well, but never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined a crueler fate than this.

After what felt like a life-time, Landa finally said, "Eight o'clock, my dear."

And in the next moment, as though Landa had known exactly when the Basterds plan was going to come to fruition, a resounding _BOOM _echoed throughout the streets of Paris. The ground below her feet quaked and the street lights around them flickered, but all Klara could seem to focus on was the explosion of fire that had suddenly erupted into the sky. She stared at the enormous flames in stunned disbelief for a long while, knowing exactly what building they were consuming but unwilling to admit it to herself just yet. It was Landa's next words that finally broke her resolve.

"And I believe that was the end of Sergeant Donny Donowitz."

Klara would have fallen to her knees if Landa hadn't still had a hold of her shoulders – _Donny was dead. _

Suddenly Klara could bring herself to care what might be about to happen to her - a feeling of numbness had settled throughout every inch of her body and she seemed to have lost her ability to speak or even _think_, save for the echoing truth that the man she loved had just died. She wasn't consciously aware of the fact that she was crying or that Landa, who seemed _very _pleased with himself, was pulling her back towards the others. Klara finally began to struggle some once she, Aldo, and Utivich were being forced into the back of a cargo truck, wanting desperately to run to the theater in the vain hope that Donny might have survived, but she was easily overpowered by her brother and tossed carelessly to the floor of the truck.

The last thing she saw was Kurt's triumphant smirk before he pulled down the door of the truck and locked them inside. Within minutes, the truck roared to life and then was on its way.

* * *

_Approximately seven minutes earlier…_

As soon as Donny and Omar were in the bathroom upstairs, there was a frenzied rush to get everything prepared. Donny ripped off his jacket at once, knowing good and well that they needed to be quick before one of those Nazi shitheads decided they needed to use the bathroom and found them out, while Omar hurried over to the trashcan – Donny valiantly ignored the blonde-haired woman floating around in his thoughts and forced himself to concentrate on what he and Omar were about to do.

"When I kill that guy, ya got thirty feet to get to that guard – can ya do it?" Donny questioned with a point of his finger, because if Omar _couldn't _then both of them were going to get their asses shot.

"I have to." Omar told him matter-of-factly.

Feeling satisfied with his comrade's answer, Donny turned to the towel rack, pulled out his pocket knife, then cut out a large chunk of cloth to use as a prop; he heard Omar rummaging through the trash for the champagne glass they'd hidden earlier. Donny made his way towards his comrade once they both had their glove-guns locked and loaded, intent on taking the glass of 'champagne' from him – Omar, however, hesitated to hand it over.

"Klara's pregnant." Omar stated quite obviously.

Donny frowned at once. "I'm aware." He found himself snapping irritably. Whatever had happened between him and Klara was absolutely _none _of his friend's business – and why in the hell was Omar talking about Klara right now anyway? "Now ain't the time'ta discuss it, either. Gimme the glass."

Omar still held the glass out of reach though. "Take off the bombs." Omar instructed him in a surprisingly stern voice.

Donny had been caught completely off guard by the order. "What?" He asked sharply. "The fuck are ya goin' on about, Omar? We don't have _time _for this shit."

"Take off the _bombs._" Omar repeated himself, frowning at him with furrowed eyebrows. "We don't both have'ta die tonight, Donowitz. You're not stayin' and blowin' yourself up. Not now – not on my watch."

Donny wasn't sure if he was more irritated with Omar for being a stubborn-ass and wasting precious time, or if he was more grateful that he was trying to offer him a way out. "I can't, Omar. I gotta job to do." Donny informed him with a shake of his head.

"You also have a woman who loves you _and _a kid on the way." His comrade argued back. "But me? I got nothin' holdin' me back – I got family, yeah, but no girl and certainly no baby." Was Donny insane, or was Omar actually starting to make a lot of sense? He could not suppress the flame of hope that was beginning to flicker inside of him. "We'll take out those Nazi fucks together, but _I'm _the one stayin' to see the job through. Now take off the bombs."

Donny hesitated for one more moment, unsure if he should follow Omar's command, then found himself dropping to his knee before he could talk himself out of it and beginning to unstrap his bombs. A strange, optimistic feeling consumed him once his ankles were free of what _should _have been his death (despite them still being in a highly dangerous situation), and he nodded to Omar gratefully as he went to place the bombs in the trashcan. He then rejoined his friend and patted him on the shoulder.

"I…" He struggled with what to say – things like this weren't his forte. "Thanks." Donny finally said sincerely, now unable to push the image of Klara away no matter how hard he tried. If fate allowed, he just might be seeing her again. "Now let's get this show on the road."

It was too easy to take out the Nazis guarding Hitler's private booth. With the champagne glass now full and the towel concealing his gun, Donny looked convincingly like an innocent waiter as he made his way out of the bathroom and towards the guards. He followed instructions and offered the 'champagne' to the guard furthest away; he blew the bastard's brains out before the guard even knew what was coming for him. Not even two seconds later, Omar came running into view and took out the other one just as Donny ducked down to avoid any gunfire.

For a long moment the two remained perfectly silent and completely still, waiting to see if anyone inside the booth had heard the commotion. Luckily it seemed that the gunfire outside had not been heard over the continuous gunfire taking place in the film, because a good thirty seconds passed by without anyone coming to investigate. Then Donny remembered that there wouldn't be much time before the bombs went off and immediately snatched up the dead guard's gun – Omar saw what he was doing and quickly followed suit.

"Remember – nobody in that booth survives." Donny reminded Omar as he made sure the gun was loaded.

"Don't gotta tell me twice."

Donny had just gotten to his feet again when the gunfire in the movie came to a halt for the first time. "On the count of three?" He suggested, tightening his grip on the gun and suddenly feeling adrenaline pumping through his body. "One…two – "

"What the hell is that?" Omar suddenly asked, frowning at the door before pressing his ear to it – what the hell was he doing _now_? "Listen."

Donny strained his ears to try and figure out what could have caught his friend's attention at such a crucial moment, then frowned as he listened to the unexpected, female voice – _was that Shoshanna?_

" – that you are _all _going to die!" The words were met with shouted, German protests that Donny immediately assumed had come from Hitler himself. He and Omar shared a look and stepped away from the door. "And I want you to look deep into the face of the _Jew _who's going to do it!"

"This is it." Donny said through heavy pants for air, knowing that Shoshanna's own plan was well underway and that _they_ were on the verge of finally meeting Hitler face to face.

"Marcel." Shoshanna's voice echoed out to them. "Burn it down."

"Holy shit." Omar said with a quick laugh – he had a wild look in his eyes right then. "Is this woman serious?"

They received their answer a few seconds later – as eerie laughter began to fill the theater, accompanied by frightened screams, an orange glow could suddenly be seen through the cracks of the door just before the distinct sound of an explosion sounded from the other side. Donny and Omar looked at one another with impressed expressions, shared a nod of understanding, and then kicked the doors in as they silently agreed that their time had come.

And the moment that they did, it was like Hanukkah had come early.

As soon as the doors were open Donny caught sight of Hitler and Goebbels, who both looked equally stunned by the turn of events. He and Omar wasted absolutely no time at all to begin firing at will, immediately popping both of the helpless shitheads full of lead until they had fallen dead to the ground. Donny thought he heard a scream from his left but was too consumed with triumphant elation to acknowledge it – as Omar's gun sounded again, he knew the man had taken care of whoever else remained in the booth.

"My name is Shoshanna Dreyfus." Though the screen had been blasted apart, the audio still could be heard over the screams and hysteria below. "And this is the face of Jewish vengeance."

The flames of the fire were growing and it was unbearably hot in the theater, but all Donny could feel right then was a strong sense of accomplishment.

_Hitler _was _dead. _The war was over, _they _had won, and now the atrocities being done upon his people would come to a stop; this notion brought him such elation that he walked up to the edge of the balcony without really thinking about it and began firing into the crowd below – he hoped at least one of the bastards he killed now understood that the world always worked in circles and that the time had come for them to reap what they had sown. Donny also hoped with all of his might that Kurt Bathurst and Hans Landa were somewhere amongst the frantic crowd of people and that they died agonizing, excruciatingly painful deaths – he was finally jerked back to reality when Omar shoved him in the direction of the door.

"Go!" He yelled over the commotion. There was blood all over him, but he didn't seem to care or even notice. "Not much time left! Get outta here Donowitz!" Then he turned back and continued firing into the crowd.

Donny immediately dropped his gun and took a moment to slap Omar on the back. "It's been an honor, Omar." He hollered, sticking a hand out. "You're one'a the bravest sons'a bitches I know!"

Omar smirked gratefully, shook Donny's hand, then jerked his head towards the door. "Take care'a that kid, Donowitz!" He instructed, releasing Donny's hand. "Now get outta here before ya start cryin', ya woman!"

With his friend's last good-natured insult lingering in the air, Donny let out a short laugh then turned on his heal and went tearing out of the booth.

He had never run so fast in his entire life. Donny could still hear Omar's gunshots and the sounds of both frightened people and the roaring fire consuming Shoshanna's theater, but they faded off some as he raced down the hall, cleared the short flight of steps, and ran past the bathroom where he had stowed his bombs. He knew that he couldn't have very much longer – probably less then a minute – and he took the winding steps down to the lobby two at a time, stumbling here or there in his haste. Klara's face was all he could see as he sprinted for the front door and it encouraged him to push himself even harder, the knowledge that they would soon be reunited giving him his second wind.

He'd managed to make it this far, it'd be a crying shame to die now.

Donny felt relief like he never had before once he burst through the doors and ran out into the streets of Paris – he'd made it out alive. But he still didn't stop running, because he knew that when the place _did _blow he would need to be as far away as possible or risk getting rained down on by debris. He knew there were other Basterds nearby, the ones that had taken his and Omar's original duties, and was just starting to make for their hidden position when –

_BOOM. _

The force of the blast knocked Donny off of his feet even though he had managed to put some twenty yards between him and the theater. The heat of the blast washed over Donny as he flew forward and he braced himself for impact, letting out a short sound of pain when he landed _hard _on the pavement.

Immediately pain erupted in his arm, ribs, and on the right side of his face. Donny cringed in pain, gritting his teeth as he rolled onto his back and trying diligently to ignore the metallic taste of blood invading his taste buds. Debris began to hit the ground around him, but though he knew he should get out of the way he couldn't find the energy to do so. He felt drained, weak, and knew he was on the verge of passing out.

"Donowitz? Shit, _Donowitz_!"

The voice was a familiar one that he was pretty sure belonged to Hirschberg. It was also the last thing that Donny heard as his head dropped onto the pavement and the world around him faded into darkness.

* * *

**What will be the fate of Donny and Klara? Find out in the next chapter! **

**Review my loverlies!**


	21. Chapter 21

**We're so close to the end! I can almost taste it!**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing. **

* * *

When Donny finally came back to consciousness again, he immediately was afraid that he had suffered some form of brain damage. He simply _had _to be hallucinating right then, because when he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings, he was in a place that he had been before but had never planned on going back to – was he in that damned veterinarian office they'd dragged Von Hammersmark to just last night? Donny frowned in confusion, wondering how in the hell he had gotten there, when –

_Klara!_

Donny sat up quickly in alarm as he remembered that he still needed to find Klara, then immediately regretted the move when searing pain shot out from the top of his skull. He cursed under his breath and brought a hand up to his head, cringing when he felt the dried, caked up blood in his hair. It was only then that the other pains started to register – a throb in his elbow, harsh pain resonating from his ribs, numerous scrapes and bruises on his body. The blast had certainly done a number on him, but he wouldn't dare complain; Donny knew very well that he could have been _much _worse off right then.

"Hey, hey, take it easy, Donowitz." Hirschberg's voice suddenly sounded behind him. Donny started to turn to face him, but his fellow Basterd was already coming to stand near him. "You're pretty banged up. Try not to move around a lot." He instructed him, placing a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Where's Klara?" Donny asked, ignoring Hirschberg's words – he didn't give a good damn about himself right then, he wanted to know where _she _was and if _she _was alright.

"Klara?" Hirschberg asked uncertainly, his eyebrows furrowing together. "I have no idea where she is. Should I?"

"Didn't ya see her leave the theater?" Donny asked incredulously, his eyes flashing with indignation. How could Hirschberg have missed her? Shouldn't he have seen her leave?

Hirschberg suddenly looked a bit wary, obviously trying to think of something to say that wouldn't further provoke the wrath of his comrade. "We got to the rendezvous a little later then expected, so she may have left before we got there." He admitted, shifting on his feet a bit. When Donny threw his hands up in annoyance (cursing when the move brought on a sharp pain in his shoulder), Hirschberg quickly went on to defend himself. "There was security everywhere!" He protested. "Check-points, extra guards – in case ya forget, fuckin' _Hitler _was in town. It took a while before we found a way in that _wasn't _chocked full of krauts."

Donny glared at him for a moment. "Don't say that word around me." He commanded, no longer a fan of the derogatory name reserved for Klara's countrymen.

He then brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, his mind working a mile a minute as he tried to figure out just where the _hell _he was supposed to go from here. Where was Klara now? What if something had happened to her? Or, he thought with a sinking feeling, what if she had come back into the theater? That thought alone made him feel as though he might be sick – if he knew Klara half as well as he thought he did, then it would not surprise him at all to learn that the stubborn woman had come back into the theater to force_ him _out. She was a convincing liar, she could have _easily _gotten back in…

He quickly dismissed the thought with a shake of his head. Klara had _not_ gone back into the theater, he was certain of it. Because if she _had _then she would have most assuredly come to find him, and seeing as she hadn't, then obviously she had gone elsewhere.

Then it hit him like a bolt of lightening. Amidst all the chaos and hysteria of the day's events, not to mention nearly getting himself blown into millions of pieces, Donny had damn near forgotten about his _own _secret dealings; _Remy. _He had reached out to the man on a fool's hope, wholly expecting that his note to the Frenchman _wouldn't_ be received before it was too late but still praying with all his might that luck might finally be on his side for a change – before he'd left for Nadine he'd journeyed to the familiar, dingy bar and left a simple note for Remy. _There may be something big happening this weekend, something that might put a mutual friend at risk. I may need your help. I'll leave word again soon – BJ._

It had certainly been a risk to reach out to him, but was also something that _needed_ to be done. And thankfully, in the end, the risk had not been made in vain (as he had feared to be the case). Donny had travelled back to the bar for a second time, before going to say his last goodbye's to Klara the night before the premiere, and waiting for him on top of the cash register had been a response from Remy. _I am at your service – _apparently Remy _was _willing to work with the Basterds, but only if it was to save one of _his _comrades.

"We gotta go." Donny said urgently, remembering his instructions for Remy – if the man had followed the plan and gotten Klara out of Paris, then Klara should be on her way to the American military base further north…at least, that was assuming that the directions Donny had left for him – directions to the theater, to Klara's house, _and _to the base – had been easy to follow and that the man hadn't gotten lost. "We gotta get back to base."

But when Donny got to his feet, he cringed in pain and swayed on the spot, feeling like he may drop at any minute. Hirschberg placed another steadying hand on his arm. "You sure? You're lookin' pretty rough, Donowitz." He countered unsurely, eyeing him with obvious skepticism.

"We're going." Donny reiterated, fighting down the pain in his body and glaring at the younger soldier in front of him. "_Now, _Shitberg." He growled before heading for the door.

"Yes, sir." Hirschberg said hastily before hurrying after him.

* * *

Klara had absolutely no idea where they were or for how long they had been travelling. The first part of the drive had been spent crying (sobbing, more like) until she had eventually wept all of the energy out of her body and had fallen asleep for a while. She'd been harshly woken by the movement of the truck and had been awake now for about an hour, though she had said hardly anything and had kept her eyes locked on the flapping coverings concealing them from the outside world. Utivich and Aldo had tried to speak to her (Utivich had even tried to offer consoling words) but thus far Klara just couldn't find it in herself to respond to them. She felt numb, she felt empty. She just felt…_nothing _now that she knew Donny was dead.

"How much longer you think?" Utivich asked with a heavy sigh, his voice breaking through her thoughts.

Aldo sat with his hands cuffed behind his back and his legs crossed at the ankles, the expression on his face blank and unreadable. "Can't be long now." He answered slowly, his eyes also taking in the way the coverings of the truck flapped with the wind before he turned yet _another_ look on her. "How ya doin', Bathurst?" He asked for about the tenth time.

Klara sucked in a slow breath and shook her head – the man she loved was dead and it was likely that both she _and _her unborn child would soon suffer the same fate. "How do you think?" She asked in a dull voice, the tone in no way properly expressing the anguish she felt inside.

She saw Utivich and Aldo share a look out of the corner of her eye but chose not to comment on it, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth instead when a cold gust of wind swept through the truck. She shivered for a moment, amazed she could even feel the cold, or _anything_, right then. "I'd give ya my jacket." Aldo told her lamely. "If my hands weren't cuffed, anyways…"

"Thanks." Klara said, though there wasn't much sincerity behind it – Aldo didn't comment on her lack of gratitude.

That was when the voices of the three men in the front of the truck started to filter back into the cargo area again. They were so muffled, however, that she couldn't understand them. "I wonder what – " Utivich started to say.

He stopped himself short in the next moment and Klara had to brace herself as the truck came to a quick halt, making the three of them look to each other with similar expressions of caution. The roar of the engine cut out, the momentary silence that follow feeling eerie and ominous, before they heard the distinct sounds of vehicle doors being opened and closed. There was the crunch of approaching feet on the ground outside before the back of the truck was opened again, blinding them all with the early morning light.

It was Hermann. "Come." He instructed bluntly – Aldo and Utivich both got up cooperatively and made their way towards Hermann but Klara lingered behind, uncertain if the German was addressing her as well. "You too, Bathurst." He added in clipped, impatient German.

Klara got to her feet and shakily made her way towards the men. She placed a hand on Aldo's shoulder when he raised it as best as he could, silently telling her to use him for balance as she stepped down from the truck, before Hermann began herding them away like they were cattle. It wasn't until they had finally rounded the truck that she spotted her brother and Landa loitering nearby – they were having a hushed conversation as the group approached but quickly finished it up before Klara could catch any part of it.

"I think this spot should do nicely, do you not agree?" Landa asked as he motioned around to the patch of forest they were in, his question directed solely at Aldo.

"I s'pose so." Aldo agreed, regarding the area around them with disinterest.

Landa flashed Aldo a grin before shifting his attention towards Klara. "Forgive the inconvenience for I know we have business to attend to elsewhere," He began saying, his eyes never leaving Klara – a feeling of dread began to sink into her very bones. "But before I surrender and relinquish the power I have worked _so_ hard to obtain, there _is_ a pressing matter that must be handled right this moment." Then he spared Hermann a brief glance. "Hermann." He commanded calmly.

Klara watched helplessly as Hermann pulled his handgun from its holster and aimed it at Aldo and Utivich warningly, his stare locked solely on the two Basterds. "Do not move even an inch." He warned.

"Hey, this _wasn't _part'a the deal!" Aldo stated furiously as he turned a fiery glare on Landa.

"Do not worry, this has nothing to do with you." Landa countered with a dismissive wave of his hand. "This only involves Fraulein Bathurst."

Now it was Aldo and Utivich who could only watch helplessly as Landa advanced on Klara, the smile on his face never budging an inch. Klara tried to pull together any last, lingering scraps of courage so that she could square her shoulder and face him with her chin held high, but found that there was far too much sadness and despair within to do so. She only watched in silence as Landa approached until he stood only a foot away from her.

"I was greatly saddened to hear of your…" He let out a long sigh, the wicked grin on his face finally fading some. "…extracurricular activities." He finally finished for dramatic effect. "I had so many plans for you, Klara, such a wonderful future mapped out for the both of us. And then..._this_." Landa continued, his last words holding more bite to them. "Never did I think these words would leave my mouth, but you _disgust me._"

He fell silent then, obviously waiting to hear a response from her, and Klara somehow managed to force on a weak smile. "I am sorry to disappoint." She told him unfeelingly. When she chanced a look at Kurt, she could see that he had his hand on his pistol – fear prickled along her spine as she began to wonder her final moments had finally approached.

"Are you?' Landa questioned skeptically. "Would you have changed your actions if given a second chance?"

Klara thought about everything that had happened in the past year, from meeting Shoshanna to harboring the families, from being with Donny to the unborn child in her belly who remained blissfully unaware of how much danger he or she was currently in. Though she was suffering the dearest of consequences now for her actions, it didn't change the fact that she had stood up to the Nazi regime, that she had saved lives, or that she had fallen in love with an incredible man (even if their time together had been short-lived). Klara knew her answer to Landa's question without having to think twice about it.

"Never." She answered resolutely.

Landa sighed and glanced back at Kurt for a moment before focusing his attention on her again. He then straightened up and squared his shoulders, the expression on his face all business now as his demeanor became much more serious. "You have been harboring enemies of the state, have you not Fraulein Bathurst?" He asked in a professional tone.

Klara sucked in a steadying breath. "You know I have."

"_Say it._" Landa growled, a malicious gleam entering his eye.

Klara was silent for a moment, then, "Yes." She confirmed softly.

Landa nodded, the spiteful aura around him seeming to grow more and more with each passing second. "Normally this is where I might offer you a deal, Fraulein Bathurst – your freedom in exchange for the fugitives." He informed her. "But seeing as the fugitives _you _have helped are all safely out of Europe by now, I am afraid that leaves us in _quite_ a predicament. I cannot hope to arrest you, seeing as I will soon be under the charge of these fine gentlemen." He continued, waving towards Aldo and Utivich. The two Basterds were watching the scene unfold in obvious alarm. "Yet I cannot hand you to the Germans either, since I have no proof of your treason. As you see, we have few options laid before us."

"What do you intend to do then?" Klara asked before she could stop the words from slipping out.

Landa smiled at her again, sucked in a deep breath, then released it slowly. "Ensure that you will pay for your crimes while I am still able to do so." He stated bluntly.

With that being said he turned and walked away, leaving Klara to stare after his retreating back with growing apprehension. He didn't come to a halt again until he was by Kurt's side. The older German then patted his partner twice on the shoulder and nodded his head. Apparently that was some sort of signal between the two of them – her eyes turned to her brother and they widened as he strode towards her determinedly, his hand never leaving his gun. When he pulled the pistol from its holster, Aldo finally decided to speak up.

"Whoa, whoa." Aldo interjected, watching as Kurt continued to advance on Klara. "The lady don't have'ta _die_ – " He began to protest.

"Forgive me, Lieutenant Raines, but I am afraid you may be mistaken." Landa retorted in an eerily chipper tone, his hands clasped together behind his back as he shot a look in Aldo's direction. "Klara Bathurst, quite sadly, perished in last night's explosion with her lover, Sergeant Donny Donowitz." He went on to say, making the blood in Klara's veins turn to ice. "A romantic tragedy actually, as she went racing back into the theater to try and save her lover's life. A sad – but beautiful – ending."

Kurt had come to a halt in front of her now and, despite the protests of Utivich and Aldo, raised his gun and pointed it directly at her forehead. Gone now was the brother she had grown up with and once loved, gone was any trace of empathy within him. "Do you have any last words, traitor?" Kurt asked in low, malicious sounding German.

It was impossible not to tremble with fear and she had to close her eyes for a moment to collect herself – _this _was it. She was about to die by her brother's hand. And, if the story they had conjured was convincing enough, he would _never _pay the penalty for it. Klara took a moment to mentally plead with God for forgiveness, apologizing over and over again for not being able to protect the life of her child better, before finally opening her eyes to meet her brother's hard stare. Klara sucked in another steadying breath, holding back tears all the while.

"I regret nothing that has happened – not the families, not Donny," Kurt's grasp on his gun tightened at her words, "None of it." She admitted. "But know that when you pull that trigger, it is not only me that you kill, brother…but also your unborn niece or nephew."

Her revelation made him freeze where he stood. In fact, the only part of him that moved were his eyes – they darted down to her belly in disbelief as it registered in his head that he was on the verge of murdering his _pregnant _sister. For a moment he seemed at a loss. Then, as he hesitated and some of his hard resolve seemed to crumble, she could have sworn that she saw his gun lower just the tiniest bit. Her eyes had deceived her though, because in the next moment a dangerous scowl worked its way onto his face and he cocked back the trigger, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You _dare _to – " He began to say before his words abruptly cut off.

Many things happened in the next moment.

Aldo, though still cuffed and unable to move his torso much, had apparently decided to take action instead of standing idly by – he suddenly lunged at Hermann, taking advantage of the man's distraction in light of Klara's announcement. He head-butted Hermann, knocked the gun out of his hand after delivering a swift knee into his stomach, and somehow managed to send the German flying to the ground before literally jumping on top of him to keep the man down.

At the same time, a loud _BANG _had echoed through the trees, the startling noise sending birds flying in every which direction. As warm blood spattered on her dress and face Klara was _positive _that she had just been shot…but though she waited and waited, no pain ever came. She opened her eyes again (not even knowing when she had closed them to begin with) and gaped in shock when she realized that Kurt was lying dead on the ground – there was a bullet wound on his left temple and it took only one more second for her to understand that the blood now decorating her clothes and skin wasn't hers, but _his. _

"What is – ?" Landa began to demand in a rage, but his question was cut short when Utivich followed Aldo's suit and head-butted him into silence. The German had been so caught up in his anger that he hadn't realized Utivich was even advancing on him until it was too late.

Aldo delivered a swift kick to Hermann's side once he was on his feet again, then glanced back at Utivich. "Nice work." He compliment before shifting his focus to Klara. "You alright, Bathurst?"

It took a few very long minutes, but eventually Klara finally began to realize that she _wasn't _about to be killed. Landa and Hermann had been overpowered by Aldo and Utivich, while Kurt was lying dead at her feet thanks to an unknown savior – she was going to _live. _Her and Donny's _child _was going to live. "I…I believe so." She finally managed to answer through heavy pants for air.

"Good – think you can uncuff us, then?"

Klara nodded jerkily and stumbled her way towards Utivich and Hermann, reaching down to find the cuff keys without really even paying attention to what she was doing. Once Utivich was free he cuffed Hermann, took the keys from her, and then hurried over to release Aldo. Klara glanced at Hermann, who looked rather frightened now that the Basterds had the upper-hand, then made the mistake of looking down at her brother again. She immediately had to dart away as the bile rose in her throat, hurrying towards the privacy of a nearby tree so she could empty the contents of her stomach.

"She'll be alright." She distantly heard Aldo say as she wiped her mouth and tried to push the image of her dead brother's face _out _of her mind. "Now who the _hell _done shot this fella?" Aldo went on to ask – when she straightened up again and slowly rejoined them (making sure _not _to look at Kurt's body), he was standing with his hands on his hips and glaring suspiciously at the trees.

They didn't have to wait very long for the answer to his question – about fifteen seconds later, as Utivich cuffed Landa and shoved him roughly back to the ground, the distinct sound of an approaching car could be heard. The entire group paused in whatever they were doing and turned to see who this newcomer was, watching as the car came to a halt just behind the truck. The vehicle was unfamiliar to Klara, but the man that stepped _out _of it was not – she was caught completely by surprise when a tall man with sandy colored hair and a rifle dangling from his shoulder came into sight.

"Remy?" Klara asked in astonishment, unable to think of anything else to say in her state of shock.

"Well, ain't this a surprise…" Aldo said slowly, his eyebrows raised so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline. "How in the _hell _did'ja avoid bein' seen all this time?"

"I have my talents…" Remy answered vaguely as he came to stand by her side. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his eyes searching hers for a moment. "Are you hurt?" He asked in a serious tone.

"N-no." She managed out, still wholly confused as to how he could be there right then. When he sighed in relief, she was finally able to put a voice to the glaring question in her mind. "How did you know we would be here?" Klara asked in bemusement.

"For that you may thank Donny." Remy answered, taking a moment to glance down at Kurt's body – she stiffened at the mention of Donny and felt a horrible throb of pain near the region of her heart. "He contacted me before the premiere, though it was by pure chance that I even received the note at all." He went on to reveal. "He asked me to ensure you left Paris safely if things went awry…which evidently, they have. I have been following you since the moment you left the theater."

"And ya didn't think'ta intervene at any point?" Aldo questioned incredulously. "Why didn't ya step in earlier?"

"The streets were _littered_ with German soldiers." Remy retorted in a clipped tone, his eyes flashing at Aldo – it was obvious that he didn't like the American questioning his judgment calls. "I wanted to intervene earlier but knew that if I made even a _small _mistake that it could mean Klara's life. I was not about to take that risk."

Silence fell over the group as Aldo and Remy stared one another down, each daring the other one to argue any further. The two men only broke their staring contest when Klara placed a hand on Remy's arm, causing him to look down at her. "Thank you for saving mine and my child's life." She told him gently to try and ease the tension.

Remy nodded once in return, flashing a reassuring smile. They both refocused on Aldo, however, when he spoke up again. "Alright then…" He heaved, looking obviously unimpressed but choosing not to comment any further on the subject. "Where ya headed?"

"I had instructions to take her to the American military base." Remy answered. "Since we are nearly there already, I assume that is where _you _are going as well?"

"You assume correct." Aldo confirmed with a nod. He shifted his gaze to her, watching her with an unreadable expression. "You'll never get in'ta that base without us, though." He added, the look on his face melting away as he waved them off dismissively. "We got'a bit more business'ta take care of. You two head fer the car, we'll be on our way shortly." He instructed.

Remy and Klara both nodded their understanding before the Frenchman placed a hand on her back and gently led her in the direction of the vehicles. They walked away in silence, both blocking out the conversation now taking place between Aldo, Landa, and Utivich as they ambled along. Once they reached the car Remy set down his gun, shrugged off his jacket, then placed it around her shoulders. Klara smiled gratefully before sighing and leaning heavily against the car, her previous exhaustion and despair catching up to her again now that she was out of immediate danger.

"Donny…" She started to ask, having to swallow past a lump in her throat to even say his name. "Did you see him?"

Remy frowned. "I saw him enter the theater, yes."

"But not leave it?" Klara questioned, her gaze locking on his searchingly.

He heaved before running a hand through his hair. "I was not there when the explosion happened." He told her regretfully. "So I do not know whether he lived or not. I am sorry."

Klara shook her head dismissively. "There is no need for apology." She told him, trying valiantly not to dissolve into tears but still unable to keep her voice from cracking.

Now, Klara had never known Remy to be a particularly nurturing man. But when he spotted her struggling to hold herself together, he took her by surprise as he pulled her into a consoling embrace. Klara finally accepted the comforting gesture, clinging to him desperately as the dam broke and she cried out her anguish – he had never seen her this way before but Remy did not seem bothered with the fact that she was wailing into his chest, merely held her and patted her back comfortingly.

"I am sorry." He said again. "I am so sorry for your loss."

They stood there hugging one another until Klara's sobs finally diminished. When she pulled away from Remy to wipe her eyes, she had to clear her throat before speaking again. "Thank you." She said simply. "You are a good friend."

Remy nodded, offering a tiny smile, then – _BANG. _

Klara and Remy both jumped and then frowned at the resonating echo of a gunshot. They shared a look, both clearly wondering what had happened, until Remy reached over to snatch up his gun again. He had just gotten it into his grasp, however, when Utivich and Aldo reappeared – they were haphazardly dragging Landa, who was bleeding profusely from his forehead, by his elbows. Klara wasn't entirely sure what they had done to him while she had just been grieving, but if the stories about the Basterds were true, she'd bet her last dollar that Aldo had just gauged a swastika into the German's head.

"It's just us." Aldo said once he saw that Remy was on alert, only sparing them a brief glance as the two Basterds continued carrying Landa towards the back of the cargo truck.

"What happened?" Remy demanded to know, his eyebrows furrowing together.

"Hermann is, uh…_outta commission_." Aldo answered before he and Utivich hauled Landa into the back of the truck and then secured him inside. Utivich then hurried towards the driver's side to get the truck ready to go. "Klara? A word?" Aldo then asked.

Klara nodded and stepped away from Remy, holding her comrade's jacket tighter around her shoulders as she made her way towards the American. He placed a surprisingly gentle hand on her back once she was close enough for him to do so and led her a little further away, clearly wanting to have this conversation in private. Klara chose not to speak first, waiting for whatever he had to say first instead.

"Look, I'm not good at all this…" Aldo started, rubbing the back of his neck as he seemed to search for the right words. "But I wanted'ta say I'm sorry 'bout what happened with Donowitz. It ain't easy losin' someone ya love and…I'm just sorry."

Klara offered a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Aldo. And…thank you for earlier, for trying to help me." She added, remembering the way he'd attacked Hermann.

He merely nodded in response, silence falling between them for a moment or two. "He loved ya _very _much, Klara." Aldo said, taking her a bit by surprise. "Don't ever forget that."

She had to press her lips together to keep down the emotion threatening to rise in her again. "I won't."

Aldo watched her for another minute or two before awkwardly patting her shoulder. "C'mon then. Let's clear out." He instructed before turning without another word and heading for the passenger side of the cargo truck.

Klara hesitated for a moment, her eyes turning towards the patch of trees that had nearly been her final resting place, then let out a long sigh as she remembered that it was now _Kurt's_. Truth be told, there was a small part of her that felt sad for her brother – in spite of everything, he _had _been family. But the finite portion of her being that felt sympathy towards her brother was not large enough to leave a lasting feeling, and as she turned her back on the place now harboring her brother's body, she knew that she would never think of Kurt again after this day.

As she got in the car with Remy and relaxed in the passenger seat, she had to close her eyes and let out a long sigh – she was _alive, _her _child _was alive, and there would be no more living in fear. For once there was a world of endless opportunity laid before her. And though it pained her beyond words to know that she would never see him again, Klara owed it to her beloved Donny to take _full _advantage of the new life waiting for her.

* * *

"If these Americans do not _leave me be_," Klara growled as she plopped down onto the bench, now occupying the space next to Remy, "I swear I will restart this blasted war _myself._"

"That is rather rash of you." Remy retorted with a smirk – he was smoking a cigarette, drinking from his flask, and was acting like their being on an American military base was the most common thing in the world. Klara huffed at his response and crossed her arms over her chest, making him frown at her. "They are only making sure you are well." Remy reminded her in a more serious tone.

"And I have told them I am not injured." Klara responded snippily, having reached the end of her already limited patience. She had just survived _numerous_ horrific ordeals, was _exhausted_, and had lost the man she loved – could she not catch even a moment of peace? Had she not earned that much?

Remy reached into his pocket and produced a box of cigarettes. "Want one?" He asked knowingly. She glanced at the cigarette contemplatively before reaching over to snatch one up. Remy lit it for her with one of his matches as she brought it to her lips, then nodded to her encouragingly as she finally relaxed some. "I will go speak with the nurses." Remy offered once she seemed a bit calmer. "Tell them you should be left alone for now."

Klara was grateful for his offer, but still cast him a knowing look. "You only wish to _charm _the nurses." She accused dryly, inhaling some of the tobacco smoke before releasing it slowly.

Remy looked at her in mock-offense. "I am appalled you would say such a thing." He countered with a frown.

Klara couldn't help it, she had to smirk at him. "You are not, because it is the truth."

Remy thought about it for a moment then shrugged his shoulders. "You may be right..." He flicked away his now finished cigarette and got to his feet. "Will you be fine by yourself?" He asked with a hint of concern on his face.

"Yes." She reassured him. "Do not worry, I will not stray."

After that was said Remy nodded and headed for the nurse's station, ignoring the numerous curious looks shot in his direction as he went. Klara watched him retreat until she could no longer see him then turned her eyes elsewhere, scanning the nearby area. There was a platoon stretching and preparing to depart directly in front of her, while plenty of others marched here or there and numerous cars zoomed around on the grounds – the place felt like an ant-pile that had been stepped on and all the soldiers hurrying past were the busy ants trying to repair their fallen home. A number of eyes turned to her, obviously wondering what this fancily-dressed stranger was doing on an American military base, but (thankfully) none stopped to ask questions.

Now that it was later in the morning, the grey haze of dawn had faded and given way to a brighter, sunnier day. Klara thought it almost cruel though that the first bit of nice weather that she had seen in a long while would fall on _this _day – why now, when she would have preferred a more gloomy atmosphere to accompany her dismal thoughts, was the sun choosing to make its appearance? Even _it _couldn't allow her to wallow in her grief?

Klara took a long drag on the cigarette and closed her eyes, bringing a hand up to knead away the ache building in her forehead.

Though she had been poked, prodded, and questioned endlessly since arriving, it was positively impossible _not _to think about Donny right then. So much so that she felt as though if she opened her eyes that she would be able to see him standing right before her, despite the fact that he was dead. Even now, as his face pushed its way to the forefront of her mind, she could see him so clearly…Thick, dark, wavy hair. Warm, brown eyes flanked by impossibly long lashes. Full, intoxicating lips constantly surrounded by days worth of dark stubble. The ache in her chest (that would probably never go away) grew even more and she had to press her lips together in an attempt to keep from crying – Klara didn't want to cry anymore, it _hurt_ too much to cry now. And no matter how vainly she hoped, as it was, there were not enough tears within her that could bring Donny back to life.

" – of the United States Army, God-damnit! Let me pass!"

The shout initially pulled her from her thoughts because the voice was so eerily familiar, but kept her attention because it had sparked her curiosity. Was she _really _hearing that voice? And where was it coming from?

But when her eyes darted hopefully around the busy military base, it was impossible to decipher where the hollering was coming from. Klara felt her hope deflate again and laughed bitterly to herself, pressing her fingers into her eyes and not really caring if the move would smear her make-up – she was _hearing _Donny now, as well? Had she actually died back in the forest and this was now her own personal hell? Was she doomed to be plagued with memories and hallucinations of Donny for the rest of her time in the underworld? Was _this _her punishment for not being able to save her and Donny's child?

But then the argument started to get closer, drawing her once again out of her own head.

" – been looked at by a doctor back in Nadine." A voice interjected, clearly trying to be the voice of reason. _Nadine?_, Klara wondered to herself. _Donny was in Nadine…_"Just, let 'im through for now? I'll make sure he get's medical attention."

"No. He needs to go to the medical wing _now._" Another voice argued back. "You _escort_ him there before I have someone else _drag _him there."

"I'd like'ta see ya _try_, ya fuckin' dipshit!"

Klara was off of the bench and on her feet in the blink of an eye, her cigarette falling to the pavement without her even noticing – that voice was _not _in her head. And the dangerous growl behind the threat mixed with the colorful obscenities was so familiar to her that it almost hurt to even acknowledge it. But…she had been _certain _she would never hear that voice again. How was she hearing it now? Was this _real_? The platoon that had preparing to depart finally began moving away, clearing out the formerly occupied patch of grass that had been in front of her. Once they were gone, she was finally able to see where the commotion was coming from.

And as soon as she spotted _him_, it felt like time itself had stopped.

He was still wearing his suit, though the jacket was gone and the rest of the outfit was ripped, blackened, and bloody. His hair was wild and askew, bouncing around on his head as he argued with another soldier indignantly. There were numerous bandages (as well as scrapes and bruises) all over his neck, arms, and face, but none of that mattered to her much right then – somehow, by working of a higher being, Donny was _alive. _And he was standing not thirty feet away from her.

She was in such a state of shock that she didn't even realize she was walking towards him; Klara's feet had moved on their own accord. She had no idea how he had survived the blast, _or_ how he had even gotten to this military base, but decided that she could hear that story later. The man that she loved was still _alive _– all she wanted right then was to be in his arms again, even if just to ensure that he was actually _real _and not a figment of her imagination_. _

Hirschberg was the first one to see her and his eyes went wide. "Donny." He said, nudging his comrade's side with his elbow. The larger man ignored the attempt to get his attention and continued to rant and rave at the other soldier. "Donny!"

"What?!" Donny finally demanded, glaring down at Hirschberg.

When Hirschberg pointed to Klara, it seemed as though everything happened in slow-motion. Donny turned his head to see what Hirschberg was trying to show him and she thought her heart would launch itself clear out of her chest as his eyes locked on hers. And though Klara wanted to call out to him, she couldn't form the words – she could only bring a hand up to cover her mouth as tears of complete and utter joy started to well up in her eyes. Donny let out a noticeable sigh of relief and didn't hesitate to begin hurrying towards her, ignoring the protests of the soldier trying to send him to the medical station. He closed the space between them with large, purposeful strides, then wasted no time to scoop her up into his arms once she was close enough.

"Thank _God._" Donny murmured in her hair, his arms so tight around her that it nearly cut off her air supply. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He asked, pulling back to look into her eyes.

Klara shook her head 'no', then slowly raised a hand up to his face – she was almost afraid that if she touched him _too_ much that he would disappear again. "You…you are…"

"Not dead." Donny finished for her.

"But…how?" She asked, not understanding.

Donny sucked in a deep breath then let it out with a heavy sigh, shaking his head with a small smile. "Thank Omar." He said simply.

Klara couldn't resist any longer. In the next moment she wrapped her hands into his hair and pulled his lips down for a desperate kiss; Donny returned the gesture with equal fervor, keeping her close with a vice grip on her. Klara didn't care that they were in the middle of an army base, nor did she really mind the cat-calls that sounded in the air from observing soldiers. The only thing, only _person, _that mattered to her was Sergeant Donny Donowitz – one of the brave soldiers that had brought down Hitler himself and ended the war, the father of the baby growing inside of her, and the love of her life. By some miracle, and against all odds, they had _both _managed to survive this mess. And the future with him that had once been only a hopeful dream, that had felt like an impossible feat, had suddenly and unexpectedly become a reality.

"I love you." Klara told him earnestly, pulling away from his lips just far enough to be able to do so. "I love you _so much_, Donny Donowitz. I cannot live without you."

Donny smirked and brushed some of her hair away from her face. "Good…'cause I don't plan on lettin' ya go anytime soon, Bathurst."

Then he was kissing her again. And for the first time in a _long _time, it felt as though everything was right in the world again.

* * *

**BAAAAAAH! Can you guys BELIEVE THIS? It's OVER! **

**Next chapter is the epilogue!**


	22. Epilogue

**Oh you guys, this is so bittersweet. I might cry after I finish writing this, no lie…**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except a heart full of sappy emotions because this journey is now officially coming to a close.**

_March 1952_

It was still very early in the morning when Klara Donowitz started to wake, the fog of sleep slowly fading away as she began to return to consciousness. For a moment she wasn't entirely sure what had woken her – she could not blame the rising sun, because the light peeking around the edges of the bedroom curtain was still the dark-blue color of dusk. And it certainly hadn't been a noise that had roused her, because the house and all of its occupants were completely silent (which was a rarity in and of itself). Knowing that she would probably not get back to sleep now, the thirty-two-year-old woman started to turn her head to see if her husband was awake as well. That was when something _else _began to register with her senses…

A pair of lips was currently making their way down her stomach with slow, unhurried kisses.

A smile immediately spread across Klara's face as the blonde determined that her husband was _indeed _also awake. She only hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not she should let him continue to think she was still asleep and see what sort of mischief he was getting up to, but finally decided to push the covers away so that she was able to see him. As the chilly bedroom air hit her husband he paused in his ministrations and met her gaze, propping his chin up on her slightly-rounded stomach – though it was still quite dark in the room, she could clearly see the sly smirk spreading across his full lips.

"Good morning, Mr. Donowitz." Klara greeted, moving a hand so she could run her fingers through his thick hair. Though they were both still naked from their love-making the previous night, neither felt any sort of shyness or embarrassment over the amount of exposure – those feelings had _long _disappeared by this point in their marriage. "Enjoying yourself?" She asked him teasingly.

"Good mornin', Mrs. Donowitz." He returned in a husky voice. "Good mornin', _baby._" Donny added, greeting the new life that had been growing in Klara's belly for the past few months. He then moved his head to press a kiss against her hip, immediately making her breath hitch a little as the action sent shockwaves through her body. "And yeah, I'm _very_ much enjoying myself." Donny finally answered, turning his dark, desire-filled eyes back up to hers.

Klara, now _very _much awake, had to suck in a steadying breath as Donny started to kiss his way back up her body. She happily wrapped her arms around him as his familiar, comforting weight settled over her, exploring the terrains of his muscled back with her hands – his lips continued to journey over her skin until they finally met hers in a kiss.

For eight years now she'd been making love to this man, but Donny still ignited a fire within her that no other had ever been able to – one look, one touch, one _kiss _and she was a helpless mess of burning desire. And currently, as she eagerly received his fiery kiss and buried her fingers into his hair to keep him close, Klara would have loved nothing more then to take advantage of their private time together and make love to her husband again like she suddenly, desperately wanted to. Unfortunately, she was _also_ acutely aware of the fact that time was _not_ on their side at that particular moment.

"The children will wake soon." Klara informed him between a few hungry kisses – she momentarily forgot about her argument when he lowered his face to her neck, nipping teasingly at the sensitive skin there. "Darling…" She half-protested, half-sighed, quickly losing the battle with herself.

Donny lifted his head again, taking a moment to push her blonde hair away from her face. "It's still early." He reassured her, dropping another kiss onto her lips – then he smirked. "Long as ya don't _scream, _they'll _never _know..." He stated saucily.

Klara rolled her eyes good-naturedly at the arrogant smirk on his face. "I do _not _– "

Her protest was cut short when his lips claimed hers in another eager kiss. The move quickly rid her of any coherent thought and Klara could no longer resist giving in to temptation, wrapping her limbs around him securely as she returned his fervent kiss. Donny began to shove the rest of the covers away impatiently so that he had better access to her, only detaching his lips from hers so that he could sit up and drag her to the center of the bed once they were freed from the confining sheets. Klara couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her lips, sharing a mischievous smile with her husband and feeling as though they were two hormone-driven teenagers attempting to get frisky whilst also trying _not_ to get caught doing so. Donny was just settling over her again, leaning down to claim her lips in another passionate kiss, when –

"I said _no_! It's _mine_!"

They froze mid-kiss as the voice of their eldest child echoed down the hallway – they then both let out simultaneous groans of dissatisfaction. When another child's voice sounded only seconds later, now arguing with the first, Donny pulled his lips from hers and looked down at her with a very disappointed expression. "I warned you." Klara told him regretfully.

"It's six-thirty in the mornin', for fuck's sake." Donny said in utter disbelief, shaking his head. "That's it." He heaved before collapsing on top of her in defeat and resting his head on her chest. "We're puttin' them up for adoption." Klara bit back a grin of amusement and began absent-mindedly toying with his hair. "It's gonna be a long, very _painful_ day…" He murmured, sighing to himself.

"I am sorry, meine liebe." Klara told him, using her favorite pet-name for him and moving a bit so that she could kiss the top of his head – when it became apparent that the arguing children were no closer to resolving whatever issue they had, she gently pushed against her husband's shoulder, urging him to move. Donny immediately protested, even tightened his grip on her so she couldn't escape. "The boys will wake Ava." She told him, shooting him a look.

"Alright…" Donny conceded, rolling onto his back and allowing her to get up.

She felt his eyes on her bare form as she got out of bed and went to retrieve her nightgown, smiling to herself when he cursed regretfully – in true Bear Jew form – under his breath before sighing heavily. Once she was dressed and had slipped on her silken bathrobe, Klara took a quick moment to lean over the bed and plant a lingering kiss on his lips – he wrapped a large hand into her blonde tresses to prolong the kiss before finally releasing her. "Later, husband. I promise."

"I'll hold ya to that, blondie." There was no doubt in her mind that he would. "Better go 'fore I don't let ya – I _know _ya not wearin' anything underneath that gown…" Donny then warned her, already toying with the hem of her nightgown.

Klara laughed, swatted his hand away playfully, then tossed the covers back over him before heading out of the bedroom to intervene with their arguing sons.

The high-pitched bickering came to an instant halt when Klara opened the door to her and Donny's bedroom, and the two young, arguing boys in the hallway both turned towards their mother in surprise. When it came to their appearance, both of the boys greatly resembled their father – they had olive-toned skin, thick dark hair, and dark-colored eyes framed by impossibly long lashes; both were also currently watching her with the same, wide-eyed expression that Donny wore whenever he did something to provoke her wrath. Klara surveyed the scene for a quick moment, eyeing the toy truck that Lee (their eldest son) and Otto (their second-born) were fighting over, before quirking her eyebrow and crossing her arms.

"What is the meaning of this then?" She asked patiently.

The seven-year-old and soon-to-be six-year-old immediately began attempting to tell their side of the story, both yelling over the other as they each tried to be heard by their mother – they had inherited their father's argumentative streak and _her _stubbornness to boot, traits that they loved to use against each other and something that would surely drive Klara andDonny to madness at one point or another. She let their yammering go on for another moment before finally raising a hand to silence them.

"Boys, it is too early in the day for this." She reprimanded with a shake of her head. "And _far _too early to even be playing with your toys." The German added, only feeling _slightly_ guilty for having to scold them – as much as their arguing drove her insane, reprimanding her children was never something she enjoyed. Nevertheless, Klara stood her ground against her sons. "Do you not need to be getting ready for school? Hmm?"

"But _Ma – _" Lee began to protest.

"School isn't for – " Otto pitched in, trying to help his brother now.

Klara held up another hand to silence them for the second time, effectively ending their argument – they could be as temperamental as they wanted, but both Lee _and_ Otto knew better then to talk back to eitherof their parents. "Give it to me." She instructed, extending her hand in Lee's direction. Otto watched in silence as his older brother stomped over and handed the truck to his mother with a grumpy expression. "Go on, get dressed." She instructed, pointing in the direction of the boys' rooms. "And do not wake your sister." Klara hissed at Otto before he could go stomping into the bedroom he shared with his younger sibling.

Once they had both trudged back into their bedrooms, Klara shook her head and decided that she might as well get breakfast started – she paused by each of the boys' rooms to make sure they were doing as they were told (which they were, but they did _not _look happy about it), checked on the sleeping Ava, then continued on towards the kitchen.

It had certainly been an adjustment when she left France and moved to Boston with Donny.

Not only had Klara never stepped foot on United States soil before, but the culture was rather different from what she was used to back in Europe. And, as some might have guessed, a German moving into a heavily Jewish community so soon after the war ended had proven to cause a few difficulties in the beginning – war hero's wife or not, many of the people in her and Donny's neighborhood still had been unsure of her while strangers she interacted with in daily life usually regarded her with scorn upon hearing her German accent, as though blaming _her _for what the Nazis had done. In fact, it had even taken a long while for Donny's family and friends to finally come around. Donny's parentshadn't been very fond of her for the first few years of their marriage, which, admittedly, she had actually somewhat understood – if Klara had been in their shoes and it had been _her_ first-born son that had returned home from war with a German, impregnated wife who _also_ happened to be the sister of a famed Nazi, well…she imagined she might have reacted much the same as they had.

But as time went on and the dust of World War II finally settled, all of that eventually began to fade away. Donny's friends became herfriends, their neighbors warmed up to her and accepted her into the community, and, even though she and her mother-in-law still had their differences now and again, Klara was very much a member of the Donowitz family. Her life was a simple one, a life uncomplicated with all of the danger and secrecy and troubles that had plagued her when she was younger – all of that had been left behind the moment that she and Donny, as a married couple, had stepped onto the plane that would take them to America…to their salvation.

Nearly twenty minutes passed before Lee and Otto, now dressed and ready for school, joined her in the kitchen…or rather, lingered outside of the kitchen doorway and quietly argued over who should walk in first; neither seemed to want to take the lead, both clearly still worried that their mother might be upset. Since Klara had her back turned to them it was easy to conceal her smile of amusement as she heard Otto whisper, "You go."

"No way, _you _go." Lee hissed back. "You started it anyway."

"_I did not_." Otto whispered back moodily.

They quickly fell silent and plastered on innocent expressions when Klara turned around, frying pan and spatula in hand. "Come and sit, both of you. Breakfast is ready." She told them to bring a halt to any possible argument that might be hovering on the horizon. The boys did so hastily, elbowing each other the entire way, and took their seats at the kitchen table. They were a bit fidgety while Klara plated their breakfast, glancing between her and each other uncertainly and trying to gauge if they were still in trouble or not, but when they both received kisses on the cheek the boys immediately brightened up. "No more arguing, understood?" She told them pointedly, pointing at them with the spatula.

"Yes, Ma." Lee and Otto answered almost simultaneously, even though she knew without a shadow of doubt that they would _not_ stick true to their word.

Now that the boys were in better spirits they began eating their breakfast and chatting away excitedly about the plans for the upcoming night – Aldo, or Uncle Aldo as the children called him, was in town and would be stopping by for dinner. Klara happily joined in on the conversation as she prepared a plate for Donny and Ava and set them before their designated chairs at the table, equally as excited by the thought of seeing her old friend. Since Aldo was a busy man and lived in an entirely different state, almost two years had gone by since they'd been able to coordinate a visit; she knew Donny was looking forward to seeing his former commanding officer even more then she was.

"Look who I found wanderin' around." Donny announced when he stepped into the kitchen about five minutes later. Klara, who had been plating her own breakfast, turned around before immediately grinning – he was carrying their daughter Ava, who looked tiny against his broad chest and was still rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Good morning, liebling_._" Klara said affectionately, moving to Donny's side so she could run a hand over the girl's messy, dark curls and press a kiss to her forehead – unlike her brothers, Ava was the only one so far to have inherited her mother's blue eyes and fair skin. "Did you sleep well?" Ava nodded, smiling at her sleepily as she tucked her head underneath Donny's chin and tightened her arms around him. The sight was heartwarming; it was a widely known fact that Ava absolutely adored her father and worshipped the very ground that he walked on.

"Do I get a kiss, too?" Donny asked as he shifted Ava in his arms, wagging his eyebrows in the process.

Klara smiled and leaned forward to kiss him, placing a hand on his freshly-shaven cheek – though time had aged him the slightest bit, gifting him with a few age-lines and a hint of grey around his temples, Donny was still the most handsome man in the world to her. Having just freshly showered and gotten ready for work, the scent of his aftershave, pomade, and soap engulfed her as her lips lingered against his. She relished in his masculine scent and the feel of his lips for another moment until the boys made sounds of disgust, causing her to pull away with a smirk. "Breakfast is ready." She told him.

"Thank you, I'm _starved_." He said gratefully, placing Ava in the seat next Otto.

"I should think so." Klara shot at him with a teasing smile, the heat he'd stirred up earlier still simmering within. "You have been _quite _busy since last night…" She added, looking him over for a moment with a gleam in her eyes.

Donny immediately shot her a heated, albeit _warning _look – Klara just smiled in response, knowing fully well what she was doing to him and enjoying torturing him a bit. He started to open his mouth and say something in return (probably something equally as saucy), but Lee beat him to the punch. "What are you talking about?" He asked, clearly confused. Otto and Ava both looked equally perplexed.

"Nothin'." Donny answered hastily, wiping the look from his face and heading for his seat as Klara laughed quietly to herself. Donny only paused to ruffle Lee's hair, kissing the top of his head, then did the same to Otto – both boys grumbled a bit as they fixed their hair but Klara knew good and well that they enjoyed the affectionate attention. "So, excited to see Uncle Aldo?" Donny then asked as he settled into his seat at the head of the table and began eating his breakfast.

The question launched the boys, plus a now much more awake Ava, into excited chattering. Klara joined her family at the table after collecting her plate and took the seat opposite of her husband, sharing a smile with Donny as she settled in to have her morning meal with her family.

Now she wasn't entirely sure if it was because of Aldo's impending visit or if it was because this month marked the eight year anniversary of the fateful day that Donny Donowitz literally barged his way into her life, but she could not help but look around at their family, at the life they had made for themselves, and feel awed with how far they had come since the war. Had anyone told her _nine_ years ago that she would someday be married to a handsome, loving, famed Nazi-killer, that they would have three beautiful children and another on the way, and that they would be living in America, Klara surely would have laughed in disbelief. But nevertheless, this blissful life was _hers_ – it amazed her so much sometimes that Klara would have to pinch herself just to make sure that all of this was actually real, and that she wasn't in a dream.

Sometime later, as breakfast was coming to a close, Donny clapped his hands together and checked the time. "Alright, boys. Time for school." He announced. Lee and Otto immediately grumbled and began protesting. "Oh, stop ya whinin'." Donny shot at them with a smirk. "Go get ya stuff for school. We're leavin' in two minutes." He then instructed. "Get a move on."

While the two boys left the table and disappeared into the recesses of the house, Klara continued to eat her breakfast. "When will Aldo arrive?" She asked Donny curiously.

"Around seven, I think." He answered.

"And is he _finally _bringing a woman with him?" Klara continued with raised eyebrows. "He has been seeing someone, has he not? Someone named…" She struggled to recall the name of Aldo's last girlfriend. "Catherine? Cassandra?"

"Caroline." Donny corrected. "He _was _seein' her. Not anymore."

Klara was unsurprised by this. Donny and Aldo had gained a good deal of notoriety after the story of Hitler's downfall had spread and this had certainly served the Southerner well – by this point, she had lost count of how many women the rugged man had dated and then left heart-broken in his wake. She looked over at Ava and widened her eyes comically, pulling a giggle from the young girl. "What ever shall we do with your uncle, Ava?" She asked dramatically.

"_I _can be his girlfriend!" She volunteered with a bright smile.

"Over my dead body." Donny announced with a snort before Klara could get in another word. She smiled over at him in amusement, knowing exactly how overprotective he was of their charming daughter and how much it terrified him to acknowledge the fact that she'd someday be dating. "If I could have it _my _way, ya'd never leave this house."

Ava just pouted at him in response, making Klara laugh.

Lee and Otto returned in the next moment with their schoolbags in hand, and while Donny stood from his chair and wiped his hands on his napkin, Klara got out of her own seat and went to kiss her sons. "Have a good day at school." She told them as Donny leaned over to kiss Ava on the cheek and say his goodbyes. "Study hard and pay attention." The German then instructed. "I love you both." Klara finished before turning her attention to her husband when he appeared at her side, a hand come to rest on her back.

"I'll meet you at the door." Donny said to Lee and Otto, sending them on their way. As they left, he looked down at her with a growing smirk. "How 'bout I try'ta leave the shop early today? Maybe then we can…" He glanced over at Ava for a moment. "…_get ready…_before Aldo's here." He stated suggestively, his hand sliding lower on her back.

"Do not hold your breath, I will probably be too busy." She answered with a sweet smile before leaning up and kissing him – he immediately deepened the kiss, their tongues reacquainting themselves as he pulled her closer. Klara leaned into him for a moment, enjoying the kiss, then gently pulled away. "Alright, I will think about it." She conceded, drawing a devilish look from him. "I love you, Mr. Donowitz." She murmured, pressing one last, quick kiss against his lips.

"I love ya, too, Mrs. Donowitz. I'll see ya later." He responded in kind. "Bye, munchkin." He added, smiling at Ava before turning to trail after the boys.

Klara watched him go for a moment before turning back to Ava, smiling and shaking her head in amusement when she saw that she child had managed to get half of her plate on her pajamas rather then in her mouth – distantly she heard the front door open and close, signaling the departure of Donny, Lee, and Otto. Klara walked over to the table and patted Ava on the head, sharing a smile with her. "Come, Ava. Let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

_Later that evening…_

After there was an enthusiastic exchange of greetings filled with hugs and excited words, after their hearty dinner had been consumed, the happy reunion taking place in the Donowitz house finally moved into the living room. In the lounge chair next to the radio sat Donny, relaxing and nursing a drink, while on the floor in front of him were Lee and Otto, both still playing with the new toys that had been gifted to them by the Donowitz's guest. Klara was sitting on the couch with a sleeping Ava resting against her chest – the three-year-old had tried _valiantly _to stay awake but the late hour had finally won the battle – and next to them sat their guest for the evening, Lieutenant Aldo Raine.

"Another, Aldo?" Donny asked, holding up the bottle of whiskey that the Southerner had brought and waving it at him invitingly.

Aldo half-smiled and nodded his head, holding his glass out towards his friend. "Don't mind if I do, Sergeant Donowitz."

Donny didn't hesitate to fill his glass up, pouring him a generous helping. Klara sighed contentedly as she listened to the music sounding from the radio and relaxed further into her seat, bringing her own glass of red wine up to her lips so she could take a sip – her eyes met Donny's for a moment and she offered him a loving smile, a gesture he responded to with a lopsided smile and a quick wink.

"So…" Aldo said, catching the couple's attention again. "How's business at the barber shop treatin' ya, Donowitz?" He asked Donny conversationally, draping a casual arm over the back of the couch as he made himself comfortable.

"Not bad, Lieutenant." Donny answered with a nod of his head, settling into his own chair again as he set the whiskey back down on the table. "Finally talked Pop into expanding, so we've got a bigger place now. Hired on a few extra guys, too." He explained. "It's goin' good so far. Busy, but good."

Donny had said all of this with a proud smile on his face and Klara could not help but to feel proud too, having always admired his dedication and loyalty to the family business; his involvement with Hitler's demise had opened up _many _doors for Donny upon returning to the States, but he'd stuck true to what he loved and enjoyed and had gone back to work with his father as soon as they had settled back in Boston – the idea now was that he would takeover the business whenever his father finally retired, and this was a plan that both Donny and Klara were perfectly content with.

"Good'ta hear, good'ta hear…" Aldo said, nodding his head to Donny before taking a long drink.

"And you?" Klara asked, resting her chin on top of Ava's head as she turned her eyes over to Aldo. "What have you been busying yourself with?"

"Well, ya'd be happy'ta hear that I _finally _got outta the moonshinin' business." He announced, looking proud of himself – Donny and Klara shared surprised looks. "Truth be told, tanglin' up with the law was gettin'ta be kinda tirin', not'ta mention I can only use the 'I helped kill Hitler' line so many times…" Donny chuckled, shaking his head in amusement while Klara rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Opened me up a little bar instead, right there on the edge'a town. Business is goin' perty good so far."

"I am glad for you, Aldo." Klara told him, happy to hear that he'd finally stepped away from a business that could put him behind bars (well, maybe not for long – he _was _still Aldo the Apache) and that he was now running a proper business. "Now all you need is a good woman in your life. It is time to settle down, is it not?" She questioned pointedly, making Donny conceal his grin of amusement by taking a large gulp of his whiskey.

Aldo waved a hand, dismissing her suggestion with a snort. "Not really a priotity'a mine, Mrs. Donowitz." He told her truthfully. But then he smirked over at her, a hint of mischief gleaming in his eyes. "'Sides, all the _good _one'r taken." Aldo said before winking and taking another drink.

Klara flashed him a flattered smile while Donny quirked an eyebrow at his friend good-naturedly. "Ya hittin' on my wife, Lieutenant?" He asked with a mock-threatening tone.

"Why I'd _never _do such'a thing." Was Aldo's dead-panned response. The three of them chuckled for a moment, enjoying the light, companionable air that had surrounded them – it was nice to be in each other's company again and _not _under extreme circumstances, as had been the case so many times in the past. After a few moments of silence, where the living room's occupants listened to the radio or played with their toys, Aldo spoke again. "I talked'ta Utivich not that long ago, him 'n 'is wife'r expectin' another child." He updated them.

"That right?" Donny asked with raised eyebrows – Klara took a moment to try and remember how many children the Basterd already had; she was fairly certain this would be his seventh (he'd already had one child before going to war, something she hadn't learned of until they were on their way to the States). "Busy man." Her husband commented with a smirk.

"Yeah, seems 'e ain't the only one." Aldo reminded him. "Congratulations, by the way." He added, raising his drink to Donny first, then to Klara. "How 'bout you boys?" He continued, his inquiry directed at the two Donowitz boys. The question quickly drew the attention of Lee and Otto. "You excited 'bout havin' another brother 'r sister?"

Lee and Otto both nodded, though the older of the two boys was much more interested in his toy then he was in talking about his future sibling – Lee's attention shifted back to his toy almost at once, but Otto's stayed focus on Aldo. "I hope it's a boy." He piped up truthfully while nodding his head.

Aldo smirked. "Why's that?"

Otto glanced at Ava, pulling a little face. "One little sister's enough, Uncle Aldo. Trust me." He stated with wide eyes.

This pulled a round of laughter from the three adults – they chuckled heartily as Donny reached over to ruffle Otto's hair, but Klara instantly fell silent when she realized that the young child in her arms was beginning to squirm. The German glanced down with a cautious look, hoping she hadn't woken Ava, then frowned apologetically when the young girl raised her head and began to rub at her eyes tiredly.

"Momma…" She half-questioned, half-whined, looking a bit disoriented as she slowly began to wake up again.

The men instantly fell silent while Klara clicked her tongue regretfully. "I am sorry we woke you, _liebling._" She apologized, kissing her dark curls. Ava yawned widely, pulling a smile from Klara, then rubbed her eyes again. "Are you ready for bed?" Klara asked knowingly.

The German started to get up when the little girl nodded her head, but did not make it very far before her husband was getting out of his chair and ushering her back down to the couch. "I'll take her to bed." He offered, pressing a quick kiss to Klara's lips before gently lifting Ava from her lap. "_You_ just relax." Donny ordered next – he then smiled at Ava, nodding his head towards Aldo. "Wanna give your Uncle Aldo a goodnight kiss?"

Klara had to hide a smirk behind her hand at the face Aldo pulled when Ava nodded her head. Though the man liked the Donowitz children just fine, he was _not_, by any means, a touchy-feely person. And, more often then not, the attention the kids lavished on him at Donny and Klara's encouragement usually made him uncomfortable…which truth be told, the couple only insisted the children be so affectionate in the first place just because they both found their friend's awkwardness to be downright hilarious. And at that moment, Aldo did not disappoint as Donny helped Ava lean over so she could plant a kiss on his cheek and tell him goodnight – he stuck true to form, offered a pinched smile, and awkwardly patted Ava on top of her head.

"G'night, runt." Aldo told her gruffly. To anyone else he might have sounded unfeeling, but since they knew him the words actually seemed rather affectionate.

As Donny straightened up to his full height again and shifted Ava in his arms, he cast a look down at his sons. "C'mon, boys. Bedtime for you, too." The two boys almost immediately started to protest since they both wanted to stay and visit with the adults, but their father shook his head at once. "Ya stayed up late enough already and ya got school in the mornin'." He reminded them sternly. "Bedtime."

Lee and Otto grumbled in disapproval but got to their feet obediently. They stopped so that Klara could kiss them both on the forehead, they both hugged (a still very uncomfortable looking) Aldo and thanked him for their gifts, then the boys begrudgingly followed their father and younger sister out of the living room. Aldo watched them go for a moment before turning his attention over to Klara.

"They're gettin' big." He commented, shaking his head and finishing his glass of whiskey. "Seems only yesterday you was pregnant with Lee."

"You do not have to tell me." Klara agreed with a sigh, getting to her feet so she could grab the whiskey bottle and refill Aldo's glass. "Time passes so quickly now that I can hardly keep track of it anymore. Before I know it, I might find myself with grey hair and grown children and it will have come in the blink of an eye."

While Klara began refilling Aldo's glass, the Southerner turned a curious look up at her. "Ya'll told the boys anythin' 'bout the war? Ya know, now that they're older?"

Klara pursed her lips and shrugged a shoulder, setting the bottle down now that Aldo's glass was full again. "There is some that they know, but much they do not." She revealed. "They have been asking many questions recently...but how could they not when their father is constantly being stopped by strangers wanting to express their gratitude?"

Aldo nodded his head. "Guess that would spark'a bit of curiosity, eh?" Klara nodded her agreement as she settled back onto the couch. "I been meanin'ta ask – do ya still speak'ta those Remy 'n Dieter fellas?"

A grin stretched across the German's face at the mention of her longtime friends, and she nodded her head in confirmation at once. "Oh yes, especially Remy." She told him. "How could I not? He did, after all, save my life." Klara then said, even though Aldo did not need reminding since he had been present at the time. "Remy and his family plan to visit this summer actually. I am quite looking forward to it – the last time he visited was just after Otto's birth." They fell silent for a few seconds until Klara smiled at her friend, reaching over to place a hand on his shoulder. "It is good to see you, Aldo. You should visit more often."

When Aldo turned his head and met her gaze, there was a small smile on his face – it was a rather warm expression for a man like Aldo Raine. "It's good'ta see ya too, Donowitz." He reciprocated, reaching up to pat her hand before he knocked back some of his drink. "And I'm happy fer you 'n Donny. Ya'll come a long way."

Klara nodded her head in concurrence, sipping her wine quietly for a moment. "I was thinking that very thing earlier today." Klara admitted, looking to Aldo with another small smile. "I always have thoughts like that this time of year." Klara then raised her eyebrows at Aldo. "Donny and I will have met eight years ago this month."

"Eight years? Already?" Aldo let out a low whistle and shook his head for a moment, looking awed, before a curious look overtook his rugged features. "Do ya ever think about all that? About _them_?" He asked bluntly, his eyebrows furrowing together interestedly.

"About Landa and Kurt?" She asked equally as direct – the names felt strange on her tongue since it had been years since she'd uttered either one of them. Aldo nodded in confirmation. "Not really." Klara admitted with a shake of her head. And it was the truth - she'd long pushed them into the recesses of her mind, seeing absolutely no reason to dwell on either man now that they were out of her life. "Sometimes I might think of Kurt in passing, perhaps when it is his birthday or when I hear his name on the street, but I do not usually think on him for long." Klara explained. "And as for Landa, well…I ignored anything and _everything _having to do with him while he was still living."

Aldo nodded his head. "I don't blame ya." He stated before pursing his lips. "Ya know, two years have already gone by since Landa bit the dust. It's too bad 'is killers weren't never caught, they deserve a medal fer what they did." Aldo thought on this for another moment – probably recalling the not-so-pleasant details surrounding the night Hans Landa was murdered in his home – before shrugging his shoulders. "Oh well, asshole still got what 'e deserved."

Klara nodded her head in agreement, having heard this very statement from her husband at least a hundred times before. "That he did."

Donny chose that moment to reenter the room, letting out a sigh of relief as he made his way over to them. "Kids are finally settled in." Donny announced, snatching up his abandoned glass of whiskey before flopping down into his chair ungracefully. "Now the _real _fun can begin."

This had been said with a glint in his eye that Klara knew could only mean trouble – she knew good and well how rowdy Donny and Aldo could get when they were reunited and, more often then not, _she _was usually the one tending to two beyond-intoxicated men at the end of the night. The German decided that there was no use trying to deny the inevitable and stood from her seat, intent on at least getting the kitchen cleaned up before she had two drunken fools on her hands. But Donny seemed to have another idea in mind, because as soon as she was on her feet he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto his lap.

"And where are _you _goin', Mrs. Donowitz?" He questioned with a quirk of his eyebrow.

"To clean the _kitchen_, Mr. Donowitz." She responded with a sweet smile. When Donny frowned and started to protest her leaving, she placed a finger over his lips to silence him. "It has been ages since Aldo was here last – you two stay here and enjoy a one on one conversation for once, yes? I will be back in a short while to rejoin the festivities, I promise." Klara reassured him before kissing his forehead and then gently disentangling herself from him grasp. "Now drink and reminisce." She commanded the men, heading for the kitchen now. "I will return shortly."

"Don't gotta tell me twice." Aldo stated; Klara saw him down the rest of his drink just before she turned the corner. "Refill me, Sergeant Donowitz." His voice echoed down the hall good-naturedly. "That's an order."

* * *

Klara was seated in front of her vanity, preparing for bed and running a brush through her hair, when Donny finally entered the bedroom and quietly shut the door behind him. He immediately began to undress, working at the buttons of his shirt with unhurried fingers. When he shrugged the button-up shirt off of his shoulders and tossed it away carelessly, Klara could not help but watch him through the mirror and admire the sight he presented – his sleeveless undershirt didn't do much to conceal his muscled back from her eyes. Donny must have felt her staring because he turned to face her, not looking as unsteady on his feet as Klara had expected him to be by this point in the night.

"Is Aldo sleeping on the couch?" Klara asked, raising her eyebrows at him through the reflection in the mirror.

"Yeah, passed out more like. I didn't trust 'im to get back to his hotel in one piece." Donny said with a nod. He started to make his way over and didn't stop moving until he was right behind her – Klara smiled as he leaned down to wrap his arms around her and pressed a few kisses along the column of her neck. "You're lookin' very beautiful tonight, Mrs. Donowitz." He complimented.

"Thank you. You are rather dashing yourself." She said in return, setting her brush down with a contented smile.

Donny tilited his head and silently watched her for a moment. "What'cha thinkin' about?" He asked, choosing to prop his chin up on her shoulder instead as his eyes met hers through mirror.

Klara sighed and leaned back against him, reaching up to place one of her hands on his sturdy arm. "I am thinking how happy I am." She told him truthfully. "Happy to have this home, our children…_you_." A smiled turned one corner of Donny's mouth upward. "I am grateful for everything we have been blessed with."

Donny sighed and turned his head, moving a hand now so that he could gently turn her face towards his – his lips met hers in a lingering, loving kiss. "I am too." He said once he'd pulled away just far enough to be able to meet her gaze again. "We've come a long way, haven't we, blondie?"

"We have." Klara agreed, toying with his hair for a moment – then she cracked a grin. "Now that I think about it, it has been _years _since I last saw you covered in blood." She said teasingly. Then she quirked an eyebrow at him. "Has the Bear Jew turned docile?"

"Absolutely not." He denied a bit huffily. "He's just waitin' for the right time to show himself. Just wait until the boys'r teenagers…you'll see." Donny joked back, making her laugh quietly for a moment. Donny then leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you, Klare." He told her, the expression on his face a bit more serious now.

Klara moved her hand to his cheek – by _God _she loved this man. "And I love you, meine liebe_._" She responded before kissing him again. "Now take me to bed, lover." Klara whispered breathlessly once they parted again. "I believe I made you a promise."

A devilish smirk appeared on the corner of Donny's mouth and he wasted no time complying with her request, quickly pulling the German up to her feet before scooping her up effortlessly in his arms. Klara laughed lightly, wrapping her arms around his neck as she was carried bridal style to their bed, but did not turn her eyes away from the loving gaze of her husband even once – he only paused so that he could turn off the lamp on the bedside table, then gently set her down on the mattress before joining her in bed.

Yes, her life was a happy one now and so very different from the one she'd led in Europe. There was no more war threatening to destroy them them, no more enemies hovering around or trying to disrupt the peaceful existence they'd worked so hard for – now it was only her, Donny, their family, and a life full of love and peacefulness laid out before them.

When she had still been a Bathurst and hoping for a future just like this with the man called Bear Jew, she hadn't known whether this life could even be possible; it had seemed like an unobtainable dream. Yet here they were, married and in love and raising a family together. The life that she'd yearned, that she and Donny had dreamt of in the darkest of times, was not only real but also _far _better then either of them could have ever imagined. She and Donny had overcome the hardest of obstacles but had prevailed and been given a second chance. They had three beautiful children, another addition on the way, and a comfortable life in Boston. But best of all, they still had _each other_.

And neither Klara Donowitz, nor her husband, _ever _intended to take what they had for granted.

_FIN_

**Oh. Em. Gee. It. Is. Done.**

**I would just like to say a big, huge, GIGANTIC thank you to everyone that has stuck by Donny and Klara and saw them along this journey. It's been a long road for everyone and I'm happy to have provided so many with a story that they enjoyed so much. I also loved this story **_**and **_**Donny & Klara...I've had a wonderful time writing this and its been an honor. Thank you so much for all of the support you guys! Hope to see you again!**


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